There were emotional scenes at the Leeds 10K yesterday as Rob Burrow and his family crossed the finish line together on Father’s Day.
Ex-England rugby league star Rob Burrow, 40, and his daughters completed the Arena Group Leeds Mini and Junior run on Father’s Day.
The ex-England rugby league star celebrated with his medal alongside daughters Macy, 11, Maya, eight, wife Lindsey and son Jackson, four, after crossing the finish line in Yorkshire on Sunday morning.
The family crossed the line at around 10am and were later seen celebrating with their medals after crossing the finish line.
Lindsey called it ‘really special’ to be able to run the event in the city where Burrow spent his entire 16-year career with Leeds Rhinos and that it was ‘fitting’ the race was on Father’s Day.
‘He’s such a family man so to be here today with the children, for us it’s just about making special memories,’ she told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
‘I’m incredibly proud of Rob. The courage and resilience he has shown to go out and do that. It takes a special type of person.’
The event was fundraising for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Leeds Hospitals Charity MND Centre Appeal.
The ex-Leeds Rhinos star, who retired from the game in 2017, was awarded an MBE two years ago for services to Rugby League and the motor neurone disease community.
Last month Kevin Sinfield pushed Burrow at the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and carried his former Rhinos team-mate over the finish line to complete the course together.
The inaugural event, which was named the Rob Burrow Marathon in his honour and saw it raise money for MND charities, saw Sinfield push his friend around the 26.2-mile course in a specially-adapted chair.
It was the first Leeds marathon in 20 years and saw 12,500 runners power through the city’s streets on May 14, this year.
He was sent a personal letter by Rishi Sunak earlier this year.
The prime minister praised Burrow for inspiring ‘millions around the world with your strength, courage and positivity’.
Burrow said before today’s race: ‘I’m really looking forward to my kids pushing me round the fun run.
‘I think it might be a bumpy ride.’
Burrow, 40, now needs round-the-clock care and has seen his weight drop to just 7st.
He can only eat liquidised food spoon fed to him by Lindsey.
The highly decorated sportsman must also sleep downstairs and sometimes needs the help of a ventilator to decrease high levels of carbon dioxide in his body.
Rob who has become a campaigner for motor neurone disease (MND) awareness after his diagnosis with the condition in late 2019, was cheered over the line by crowds in the city.
