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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
David Raven

Jake Quickenden grins as he completes 'incredibly hard' London Marathon for late brother

Reality TV star Jake Quickenden was praised for an amazing effort after raising £11,600 for a cause close to his heart during a 'hard' London Marathon.

The former The X-Factor contestant documented the painstaking run on his Instagram story.

The 34-year-old was dressed as a bone to raise money for bone cancer charity Sarcoma UK in memory of his brother, who sadly passed away from the disease.

In one video said: "It's raining, it's wet, I've got about five miles left.

"I'm on £8,000 please if you can donate just a quid, I want to make my target. Thanks for all the support I appreciate it."

Reality TV star Jake Quickenden was praised for an amazing effort (Instagram)
He raised over £12,000 for a cause close to his heart (Instagram)

After the run, he said: "I did it, that was incredibly hard I'm not going to lie the hardest thing I've ever done, 20 miles I was all right.

"The last six miles was like nothing I have ever experienced. I just want to say thanks to anybody who donated.

"I'm going to check tonight to see how much I've donated. The link is still there for anybody who wants to donate."

He later said: "I just want to say thank you to everybody who has sent me messages, everyone who was watching, shouting and cheering us on, thank you.

"Any mad person that does a marathon and that guy who did 365 marathons I honestly don't know how you do it, you are incredible.

"Hopefully I'll sleep tonight and have a few days rest and then back to it."

He said the London Marathon was 'incredibly hard' (Instagram)
Jake showed off his medal after completing the marathon (Instagram)

You can donate to Jake's Just Giving via here.

His wife Sophie Church put a post up from Jake on her Instagram, which read: "WOW that was hard but I done it and raised £11,614 for Sarcoma which is a charity so close to my heart!! Thank you to everyone that donated."

Jake said he would take part in the race dressed as a bone to raise awareness and money for the charity.

Back in 2008, Jake's dad Paul lost his life after battling non-familial bone cancer. Then, just two years later, came the devastating news that Jake's brother Oliver had sarcoma. Oliver died aged 19 in 2013.

Celebrities and fans praised Jake for his efforts with Love Island's Shaughna Phillips writing: "Proud of you!"

Jake's wife Sophie Church posted the images on Instagram (Instagram)
Jake's family supported him at the race (Instagram)

When previously asked if he's found training for the competition emotional, he said: "I think on the day that's when it will become emotional.

"I think getting over the finish line and doing it for a charity that obviously my little brother passed away with sarcoma, so doing for Sarcoma UK and hopefully raising loads of money."

Jake Quickenden pictured with his brothers Oliver and Adam (Medavia)
Jake, who is now married to wife Sophie, has been open about his grief in the past (WireImage)

On the day the capital said farewell to Sir Mo Farah, who finished ninth in his final crack at the iconic race, two new distance stars emerged.

Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete Hassan's remarkable victory, in her first marathon, was followed by a staggering run from Kelvin Kiptum, who won the men's race in the second-fastest marathon in history.

The 23-year-old Kenyan broke the course record with an incredible time of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds.

But he was somehow upstaged by Sifan Hassan, 30, an infectious character who had been fasting for Ramadan and who revealed she had cried on Sunday morning at the prospect of taking on the 26.2 mile course.

At one point it appeared she was about to pull out, having fallen way off the pace, clutching her hip, around the 15-mile mark.

Former winner Paula Radcliffe, commentating for the BBC, said: "She needs to stop. Somebody needs to give her some advice to step off and stop trying to run on."

But Hassan, who is the Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, somehow reeled in the leaders with three miles to go.

"The injury hurt when I sped up or when I was going downhill," she said. "I thought I was going to stop."

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