Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Australian wheelchair champion conquers PNG’s Kokoda Track

Posted at 04:35 on 18 November, 2009 UTC

Wheelchair marathon champion, Australian Kurt Fearnley, has finished crawling over the 96 kilometres of the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Fearnley, who was supported by 15 family members as well as porters and guides, reached the end of the track at Owers Corner early on Wednesday.

It had taken him 11 days and he said, soon after finishing, that every part of his body ached.

“I knew that I would go through a physically tough period trying to do this but I’ve woken up every morning and I have kept going and I have made it into Owers Corner and now I get to relax a little and heal up and enjoy these moments with my family and friends.”

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Mr Fearnley is one of the greatest wheelchair marathoners ever, having won nine consecutive races in the past 18 months, including the Para-olympics and the London and New York races.