A paralysed former jockey has completed a 140-mile hand cycling challenge, raising £13,000 for two charities which helped with his rehabilitation after an accident.
25-year-old Jacob Pritchard Webb set off on his three-day fundraiser on July 7, and was riding in support of both the Injured Jockeys Fund and the Matt Hampson Foundation.
He rode from Cheltenham Racecourse to Newmarket’s July Course and was given a standing ovation as he arrived at the finish line during the afternoon of July 9.
Jacob was enjoying a highly-promising riding career in France before an accident at Auteuil in June 2020 left him with life-changing injuries.
He now has a successful career in TV, working on Sky Sports Racing.
Speaking about the challenge, he said: “The last three days have probably been the most physically demanding I’ve ever endured.
“I thought seven or so years ago that pushing a point-to-point horse round a track for three miles was difficult but this absolutely trumped that!”
Jacob says he has been overwhelmed by the support and donations that he has received while taking on the challenge.
“Without everyone cheering me on I just wouldn’t have got up that hill on the first day,” he said.
“There are so many people to thank, but I owe so much to my mum and dad for doing it with me.”
The whole point of the 140-mile challenge for Jacob was so he could raise awareness of what is possible after a spinal cord injury.
He believes he’s proved that taking part in a challenge like this is possible and that you “really can push yourself to do some incredible stuff”.
“I’m more emotional about it than I thought I would be but I suppose it’s all the effort I had to put in to be able to complete it,” he said.
“The last three months have just been exhausting and trying to have a normal work life alongside all of the organisation and training which comes with it has just been very difficult.”
He added: “It’s been an experience in itself from start to finish, from April until now, and it’s very rewarding to get over the finish line.”
You can donate to Jacob’s fundraiser by visiting: https://www.sponsorme.co.uk/jacobwebb/the-cross-countys-cycle-challenge.aspx
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