Tens of thousands participant in Sydney’s Marathon, making it the largest in Australian history

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Hundreds of spectators are celebrating this year's Sydney marathon competitors. It's estimated more than 35-thousand participants are taking part in this year’s event making it the largest in Australian history.

Transcript

00:00Well, down here at the Sydney Marathon, it's not just individuals crossing the finish line,

00:07it's also people running as parts of teams, organisations and charities.

00:11And I want to introduce you to one of those organisations now.

00:14It's called Achilles.

00:16And Achilles works with runners and other athletes with disabilities,

00:20allowing them to participate in exercise.

00:23I've got the president, Phil Hartshorn, and runner Seth Leggett with me.

00:27Phil, I'll start with you.

00:29Talk me through the Achilles team that's been running this year.

00:32Well, it's a massive Achilles organisation.

00:35Because what's actually happened this year, because it's been a marathon major,

00:39we've got a lot more interest from our internationals.

00:41So we've got 100 Achilles members.

00:44And what that means for us is there's charity entrants, there's guides,

00:49but most importantly, our athletes with a disability.

00:52So what we do in Achilles in Australia, we provide guides for athletes with a disability

00:56to allow them to exercise.

00:58And today is obviously a big day for us because there's a bunch of people

01:01who have run the 10 kilometres.

01:03And behind me, you can obviously see all the excitement of the marathon.

01:06So it's a big day for us as Achilles.

01:08A massive day for Achilles and for so many runners down here in Sydney.

01:13Seth, you've just run the 10 kilometre race.

01:17Tell me about how it went.

01:19That's correct.

01:20I have run the 10 kilometre race and it was awesome.

01:22I had a wonderful guide.

01:24My guide is pretty much my best friend throughout that entire race.

01:28He guides me around obstacles.

01:30He makes sure that I don't fall over.

01:32He makes sure that nobody tries to cut me off.

01:34And most importantly, he gives me the ability to fulfil my dreams as an athlete.

01:39He gives me the ability to fulfil my dreams as an athlete with a disability,

01:44giving me the opportunity to find independence and an identity for myself

01:49despite what one might first believe with a disability.

01:54And so what is it like for you to be part of a group like Achilles

01:58that allows you to take part in these kinds of events?

02:01Oh, it's absolutely amazing.

02:03Being part of Achilles, you're not just being guided by people.

02:08You are also joining a community of like-minded individuals

02:12where you as a person with a disability can turn that into something

02:16that you can be proud of, a barrier that you can overcome

02:20and find yourself in the world with people who are always there to support you.

02:25That is wonderful to hear.

02:27And Achilles is just one of so many charities and groups

02:30that have been running here today down at the Sydney Marathon.

02:33We have more than 35,000 runners completing the 42 kilometre distance

02:38and even more doing the 10 kilometres.

02:42Well, I will say my friend and my friend,

02:45we will talk about a few little걸로 to a five-year-old having a six-year-old

02:46with a 15-year-old,

02:47so I'm quite sure I'm here to go on this Junction.

02:49Let's see if my friend actually has already been on this.

02:50One-year-old is on this,

02:51we've encouraged the four-year-old with a four-year-old

02:52with a five-year-old having a six-year-old.

02:53So I started with the six-year-old.

02:55So I started with a 15-year-old.

02:56I started with the 365-year-old on this.

02:57So now, you know I started with the four-year-old

02:58with a nine-year-old,

02:59so I started with the four-year-old.

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