Kiwi Paralympic star Liam Malone has completed his first ever marathon, overcoming incredible pain along the way.
Malone finished the 42km Hawke's Bay Marathon on the same blades that took him to Rio Paralympic glory in 2016, placing 256th out of 297 runners.
The retired Paralympic gold medallist – knownfor sprinting, having competed in the 200m and 400m in the T44 category in Rio – said it was one of the hardest things he has ever done.
"That is definitely one of the tougher things I have ever done, it was easy in terms of my fitness, that was fine," Malone said.
"I ran the first half in 1:45 which I was really happy with and was feeling good, but I was struggling to hold the pain anymore and it really slowed me down.
"I had to stop, walk, then stop, then try and run and it was just too much, it was challenging for sure."
Liam Malone after finishing the Hawke's Bay Marathon. Photo / Photosport
Malone is renowned for his positive attitude and fighting spirit, and it served him well as he finished the marathon in 4:47:28.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to finish, I was always going to finish, I could have crawled. Along the way I was skipping because I was in so much pain in my left leg, I was trying to take the weight off it.
"I broke it into small milestones in the distance and said – I have to get to there, and then the next one and I just kept going like that.
"I had a great support crew, with a medical team with me the whole way. Everyone who ran past me was giving me support too which was really nice.
"High performance sport is competitive, and you are not there to make friends, but an event like this has a community feel to it and you bond over a shared experience, which was fun."
The 24-year-old was in good spirits after the race, and encouraged others to take advantage of every opportunity they have.
"I didn't trip, not once, which was really good for me – normally the smallest of gradients I usually trip over every day. That was a whole lot of fun, I am never going to do one again – unless I can design some blades and sockets that reduces the pain I experience.
"I wish I could do another one though, and I wish fully-limbed people would take advantage of the opportunity to go out and do lots of exciting things. I would do anything to be able to pick anything and just train for it."
Nick Horspool of Wellington took out the men's race while American Sabina Paris won the women's marathon.
