Ricardo Braganza, 22, of Hainault, taking part in the 2012 London Marathon

London Marathon - Hainault runner aimed to finish in time to play in football cup final

Alistair Kleebauer, Senior reporter Wednesday, April 25, 2012
9:00 AM

A 22-year-old Hainault world record holder set himself an ambitious target of finishing Sunday’s London Marathon in time to compete in his football team’s cup final.

Ricardo Braganza, of Trafford Close, who ran for Breast Cancer Campaign after his mother was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, hoped to complete the 26-mile challenge in a super-quick three hours.

That would have smashed his own personal best for the marathon of just under four hours to allow him to play for SFC Dagenham at 3pm.

But Ricardo, who competed in the world’s longest football match over 60 hours in 2010, fell foul of a cold and a knee injury and finished in five hours 17 minutes.

To cap it all, his team lost in his absence but he said he still enjoyed the day.

He said: “During it, the crowds are just amazing, they keep you going. The kids put their hands up for high fives and you can squirt them with water.

“I started off quite fast and did the half marathon in one hour 50 minutes.

“The second half was really tough.”

The analyst raised £2,500 at his place of work and through a bucket collection at Liverpool Street station, having previously raised £33,000 for the charity.

And his mother is now close to making a full recovery.

He said: “I want to carry on running the marathon for Breast Cancer Campaign.”

Read more about the fantastic efforts by Redbridge runners in tomorrow’s Recorder.