RUGBY league legend Kevin Sinfield has been shortlisted for a bravery award.

Former Leeds Rhinos and England captain Sinfield, 40, from Saddleworth, ran seven marathons in seven days last December and raised £2.2m for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Sinfield's 7 in 7 Challenge was inspired by his former Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow who is living with the disease.

His initial target was to raise £777,777 but that was more than doubled.

The money raised by was split three ways, with £1.25m going to care and support programmes, £300,000 devoted to support in the north of England and £655,000 given to research into the disease.

Five of his marathons were run close to his home in Saddleworth and the other two were run in Leeds.

After his extraordinary running achievements, Sinfield has reached the final four of the Celebrity Hero category in the Amplifon Awards For Brave Britons 2021.

Kevin Sinfield sets off on the final marathon of seven marathons in seven days fundraising challenge in support of his former team-mate Rob Burrow and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)

Kevin Sinfield sets off on the final marathon of seven marathons in seven days fundraising challenge in support of his former team-mate Rob Burrow and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)

After the last of the seven runs, Sinfield said: "The Motor Neurone Disease Association has been absolutely wonderful – the support, the knowledge, the ability to educate our team has really helped us put a plan together.

"But we felt it was really important that we understood where the money was being used and then ultimately Rob and his family were key to the journey too.”

He added: “If all of our efforts and those of people who made contributions make Rob and his family’s journey, and all those in a similar situation, more easy then its all been worth it.”

He will now be invited to the virtual awards presentation on Tuesday, October 5.

The event will be hosted by BBC1 TV Breakfast and Radio 5 Live presenter Rachel Burden and Falklands War hero Simon Weston will be guest of honour.

As recognition for his services to fundraising for charity as well as his contribution to rugby league, Sinfield was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, which was added to the MBE he received in 2014.

Amplifon is a leading global hearing specialist operating in 26 countries with 105 stores across the UK.

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