Athlete who lost leg to cancer sets world record after running 104 marathons in 104 days
When Jacky Hunt-Broersma says her mantra is “I can do hard things,” she's not kidding – the amputee athlete ran 104 marathons in as many days, all using a carbon-fiber prosthesis.
Hunt-Broersma, 46, completed that epic quest Saturday near her home in suburban Phoenix, setting an unofficial world record along the way.
“What a journey,” she tweeted.
The South Africa native, who lost her left leg below the knee to a rare cancer, began her record attempt on Jan. 17.
Brick Runners, an organization that supports athletes who raise money for charities, designed a Lego-style character inspired by Hunt-Broersma, complete with one of her favorite T-shirts, which reads, “Strong Has Many Forms.”
Hunt-Broersma raised more than $67,000 to help fellow amputee blade runners get the expensive prostheses they need. Health insurance typically doesn’t cover the cost, which can exceed $10,000.
Previously reported:The journey to finish 102 marathons in 102 days
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Every day since mid-January, she covered the classic 26.2-mile marathon distance either on a loop course laid out near her home in Gilbert, Arizona, or on a treadmill indoors.
Her original goal was to run 100 marathons in 100 days, so she’d beat a record of 95 set in 2020 by Alyssa Amos Clark, a nondisabled runner from Bennington, Vermont, who did it as a pandemic coping strategy. Last month, after nondisabled British runner Kate Jayden unofficially broke Clark’s record with 101 marathons in 101 days, Hunt-Broersma realized she’d need to run at least 102.
In an interview with The Associated Press, she said she hoped her quest would inspire people everywhere to push themselves regardless of their physical limitations.
Guinness World Records spokesperson Amanda Marcus said the Britain-based organization was aware of Hunt-Broersma's attempt, and it will take 12 to 15 weeks to review the evidence before the record can be confirmed.
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Guinness lists the men’s record for consecutive daily marathons as 59, set in 2019 by Enzo Caporaso of Italy.
