{"id":310361,"date":"2024-04-15T12:43:25","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T17:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=310361"},"modified":"2024-04-23T10:03:17","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T15:03:17","slug":"teen-down-syndrome-london-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/teen-down-syndrome-london-marathon\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen with Down syndrome defies odds as he prepares to run London Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Update 4\/23\/24:\u00a0<\/strong>Lloyd Martin successfully completed the London Marathon on April 21, setting a world record as the youngest person in the intellectual impairment category to complete a marathon.<\/p>\n

Lloyd called<\/a> the achievement “absolutely amazing.”<\/p>\n

“Really anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” he said. “With a bit of work, you can achieve it.”<\/p>\n

4\/15\/24:<\/strong> When her son was born with Down syndrome and a heart condition, Ceri Hooper was told<\/a>\u00a0\u201cthat he might not be able to walk, to talk, feed himself and that there could be so many challenges to overcome.\u201d Today, at 19 years old, that same son, Lloyd Martin, is preparing to run in the London Marathon on April 21st.<\/p>\n

Ceri is an athlete herself and so was Lloyd\u2019s father. When she found out her son had Down syndrome, she immediately decided that she wouldn\u2019t let his disability be an obstacle to his dreams. She registered Lloyd for sports at a young age, just like his peers. Despite the doctor\u2019s grim predictions, Lloyd showed a gift for athletics, just like the other members of his family.<\/p>\n