Kevin Sinfield is facing a groundswell of national admiration as calls intensify for him to be knighted, after completing yet another extraordinary charity challenge and adding ÂŁ1.3 million to the fight against motor neurone disease. The achievement pushes his total fundraising in honour of his late best friend Rob Burrow to more than ÂŁ11.3 million â a feat supporters insist the honours system simply must recognise.
The Prince of Wales publicly led the tributes, offering his âhuge congratulationsâ and praising Sinfieldâs devotion to âRob and everyone affected by MND,â calling his commitment âtruly inspiring.â Sinfield, 45, previously received a CBE, but rules traditionally prevent another honour within three years â a rule many now argue should be broken.
Local rugby figure Andy Bell summed up the sentiment, saying people in Yorkshire already refer to him as âSir Kevin,â adding that âwhat he has done is quite exceptionalâ and that the nation âwould be as good a reason as any to break that rule.â
Sinfieldâs latest superhuman effort â seven ultramarathons in seven days â saw him wade through floodwater with bin bags wrapped around his shoes, push through nearly 300 kilometres, and finish in Leeds surrounded by thousands of supporters and a mini-army of Santas. Almost 50,000 people signed a petition urging the Government to knight him before he even crossed the finish line.
Speaking emotionally to crowds braving heavy rain at Headingley Stadium, he thanked the âabsolutely beautifulâ MND community and vowed, âWeâve got to keep fighting.â His challenge honours Burrowâs iconic number 7 shirt, and he revealed he has committed to seven annual challenges in total.
Triathlete Jonny Brownlee and boxer Josh Warrington joined him for the final kilometres, while fans Tim and Shirley Nicholson said âwords canât say how much Kev has done,â admitting they would struggle to walk the distance he ran.
