James Mwaura retains the last-man running title at the Wings for Life World Run in Kenya

James Mwaura has successfully defended his last-man running title at the Wings for Life World Run in Kenya. Mwaura ran an impressive 60 kilometres, securing the 12th position globally out of 206,000 runners.

The Wings for Life World Run is a global charity event that aims to raise funds for spinal cord injury research. Unlike traditional races, there is no set finish line, and runners are pursued by a virtual Catcher Car that starts 30 minutes after the runners.

The Catcher Car gradually increases its speed, and when it passes a runner, the race is over.

Mwaura credits his major improvement from last year, where he ran 38kms and ranked 7,280 globally, to consistent and regular training, as well as experience participating in competitions like Run Across Kenya, which was 956km long.

In a post-race interview, Mwaura stated that his purpose is to make the world a better place, and the Wings for Life World Run helps him achieve that goal.

The top men’s and women’s overall global winners were Japan’s Jo Fukuda and Poland’s Katarzyna Szkoda, respectively. Fukuda ran an impressive 69.01km while Skoda ran 55.3 km.

Fukoda, a two-time event winner, mentioned that he had injured himself two months ago and couldn’t practice enough but had a strong will to win again. Skoda described the feeling as sensational, stating that she needs some time to process her victory.

The 2023 edition of Wings for Life World Run raised €5,802,595 through entry fees and donations, marking a milestone. 100% of all entry fees and donations go directly to spinal cord research.