In a remarkable feat of endurance and determination, Andrew Tomlinson, a financial assistant from Glasgow, has set a new world record for the fastest marathon run by an athlete with hemiplegia, completing the London Marathon in 3:58:53 — nearly two hours faster than the previous record.
Tomlinson, who has hypertonic cerebral palsy and paralysis on his left side, also became the first known runner with cerebral palsy to earn the prestigious Six Star Finisher medal, awarded to athletes who complete all six World Marathon Majors: Berlin, New York, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, and London.
His marathon journey began in Berlin in 2021, followed by New York in 2022, Boston and Chicago in 2023, and Tokyo in March this year. He achieved his sixth and final star in London this April, joining a global club of only 17,026 runners to have completed all six races.
Tomlinson, a member of Bellahouston Road Runners, defied early medical expectations after a traumatic birth, where doctors feared he would never walk. Reflecting on his achievement, he told BBC Scotland News,
“It’s actually just emotional thinking about it because every challenge I’ve had, every barrier that’s been put up, it proves that anything is possible.”
His record-breaking run is not only a testament to personal perseverance but also a powerful inspiration for athletes with disabilities around the world.
