Africa: Briton Becomes First Person to Run Length of Africa

analysis

Extreme marathon runner Russ Cook completed his run across the entire length of Africa in Tunisia on Sunday after travelling through 16 countries, with the 352-day odyssey including being robbed at gunpoint and suffering food poisoning.

Cook started his adventure last April at Africa's most southerly point, the South African village of L'Agulhas, and proceeded up the continent's west coast, running a total of over 16,000 kilometres.

"The first person ever to run the entire length of Africa. Mission complete," Cook posted on social media platform X.

The 27-year-old passed through Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania and Algeria, before arriving at Ras Angela on Sunday evening.

The endurance athlete, who calls himself the "Hardest Geezer", has also raised more than half a millions pounds for charity along the way.

"The main goal is to challenge yourself and do something incredible which is what 'Hardest Geezer' is all about," Simon Klima of Givestar charity platform told Reuters.

"Simultaneously raise a lot of money for some really important causes, that's happening on the Givestar platform, so we are very privileged to have that happening there.

"So far nearly 600,000 pounds ($758,160.00) has been raised for two charities, Sandblast and the Running charity. Hopefully, going to hit a million pounds, Russ will hit a million pounds with his fundraiser, that's the target."

Cook was...

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.