A SPORTY duo have been practicing every event featured in the Tokyo Games to prepare for their charity fundraiser 'Spennylympics'.
Stuart Bates, a window cleaner, and Charlotte Nichols, a student doctor from Abingdon, will be completing more than 96 events across the 17 days that coincide with the Tokyo games (July 23 – August 8 2021), to mark the 10-year anniversary of Mr Bates losing his brother, Spencer - known as Spenny - to motor neurone disease. They have branded this event ‘the Spennylympics’.
The ‘Spennylympics’ will include a marathon, a 240km cycle, a 10km swim plus 10m platform diving. The pair will also take on some more niche sports, such as Greco-Roman wrestling and synchronised swimming.
These events will be completed across various UK locations, mainly in Oxfordshire, where they both live.
Although Ms Nichols is a keen rugby player, many of the sports are completely new to the fundraising pair.
Ms Nichols said: “Some of the sports have been so much harder than we thought, synchronised swimming was so hard. We have had a couple of near misses of falling of horses and crashing bikes, but we have survived so far.”
She added: “We have been desperately trying to learn all the sports and the rules. We have tried almost all of them already, but we have not tried the 10m dive yet, which is quite terrifying, the most we have done is three meters.”
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However, the sporty duo have enjoyed rowing and sailing and appreciate the support of sports teams who have helped them so far.
They have recruited more than 50 former and current Olympians to act as ambassadors and mentors for their mammoth fundraising effort. They have also got heptathlete Kelly Sotherton on board.
They are receiving support from the local Abingdon School, who have offered access to all of their facilities for the duration of the event.
Local sports massage company, Sports Specific, have also offered their services, and will tend to Mr Bates and Ms Nichols aching limbs in preparation for the event and throughout the 17-day challenge.
The fundraiser is in memory of Mr Bates brother, Spencer who died in his forties. On the fundraising page for the Spennylympics it says: "Spenny held a special place in the hearts of all who knew him, and this was reflected by having more than 750 people attend his funeral.
"He was many things to many people, a well-known and talented musician, a keen footballer, a loyal and trusted friend and always the party starter. Whilst living with this terrible disease, Spenny worked tirelessly to raise as much awareness of and money for the motor neurone disease association as possible."
Mr Bates and Ms Nichols have already raised more than £16,000 smashing their original target of £10,000.
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