Russ Cook: Difference between revisions
Removed discussion in the overview, which is more suitable for the talk page. Tag: Reverted |
Corrected another instance where a claim was branded as a fact Tags: Reverted possible unreferenced addition to BLP Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
| coaching = |
| coaching = |
||
| module2 = |<!-- Achievements and titles --> |
| module2 = |<!-- Achievements and titles --> |
||
| worlds = First person to run the entire length of Africa |
| worlds = First person to run the entire length of Africa (no: 2 other runners have done so before, and their runs have been independently verified and ratified (by Guinness and WRA). This claim of Mr Cook is unsubstantiated and does not belong to Wikipedia. |
||
| regionals = |
| regionals = |
||
| nationals = |
| nationals = |
||
Revision as of 16:55, 12 April 2024
 | It has been suggested that Project Africa be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2024. |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Hardest Geezer |
| Nationality | English |
| Born | 13 March 1997 Worthing, England |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Ultrarunning |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | First person to run the entire length of Africa (no: 2 other runners have done so before, and their runs have been independently verified and ratified (by Guinness and WRA). This claim of Mr Cook is unsubstantiated and does not belong to Wikipedia. |
| Updated on 7 April 2024 | |
Russell Cook (born 13 March 1997), also known as Hardest Geezer, is an English endurance athlete from Worthing, West Sussex. In April 2024, he completed Project Africa, a 352 day run from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the continental Africa. Russ took on the challenge because he had faced mental health issues and a gambling addiction.
Early life and education
Cook was born in Worthing, West Sussex,[1] attended Vale school in Findon before attending Worthing High School and Worthing College.[citation needed]
Career
In 2020, Cook ran from Istanbul, Turkey to Worthing, England in 68 days.[2] Also in 2020,[3] he set the world record for the fastest marathon run whilst pulling a car, in 9 hours, 56 minutes.[2]
Running the length of Africa
On 22 April 2023, Cook began Project Africa, planning to run the entire length of the African continent. He began in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, the southernmost point and ended in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the northernmost point on 7 April 2024.[4] The course covered 16,000 km (9,900 mi) and crossed 16 countries.[5] During the run, he had to overcome several challenges including being robbed at gunpoint, food poisoning and being accosted by men with machetes.[6]
As part of his endeavour he raised money for the Running Charity, whom offer running and mental health programmes to people struggling, as well as the charity Sandblast who support the indigenous Saharawi population of Western Sahara.[7] Cook took on the challenge because he had faced mental health issues, gambling addiction, and struggles with alcoholism.[1] Having completed the challenge, numerous individuals and associations made counterclaims, that they had completed running the length of Africa first. The common issue with these claims is that whilst Mr Cook merely “claims” a record (unverified as of yet), the two other runners have validated and ratified records to show. But since none of them had run from the southernmost point to the northernmost point, which is what Cook achieved, this much can be legitimately claimed by Mr Cook (pending ratification and verification). Nicholas Bourne from the United Kingdom successfully claimed the record in 1998 although started in Cape Town, South Africa and finished in Cairo, Egypt.[8]
References
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
bbcwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Heath, Jacob (2020-10-26). "The record-breaking Sussex runner known as 'The Hardest Geezer'". Sussex Live. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ Green, Olly (2023-07-19). "Russ Cook: The 'Hardest Geezer' aiming to run the length of Africa". Run247. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "He did it! 'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook finishes gruelling challenge to run length of Africa". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "He did it! 'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook finishes gruelling challenge to run length of Africa". Sky News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ Mather, Victor (8 April 2024). "Guns, Machetes and Illness: The Perils of Running the Length of Africa". New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ Davies, Caroline (2024-04-07). "'I'm a little bit tired': Briton becomes first person to run the length of Africa". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ Braidwood, Jamie (2024-04-08). "Row erupts over Hardest Geezer's claim of 'record' run of Africa". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-04-09.