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‘Hardest Geezer’ becomes the first person to run the entire length of Africa

Home> News> Sport

Updated 17:27 7 Apr 2024 GMT+1Published 16:44 7 Apr 2024 GMT+1

‘Hardest Geezer’ becomes the first person to run the entire length of Africa

He's finally made it, girls and boys!

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Russ Cook has become the first person to run the entire length of Africa.

For the past year, Cook - aka the 'Hardest Geezer' - has been pounding the pavement, dirt, sand, pretty much anywhere he could through over a dozen countries.

Having set off from from the southern tip of South Africa in April 2023, he has now completed his mammoth 16,000km+ journey.

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Followed by dozens of his fans, who have followed his journey online, Cook crossed the line at Ras Angela in Tunisia today (7 April) and was greeted by celebratory chants of 'geezer, geezer, geezer' once he made it over the line.

He then made his way into the Mediterranean for a quick dip before telling Sky News he was 'a little bit tired' and saying he was going to 'f**k off'.

Russ has an afterparty all lined up and what he's really been looking forward to is a strawberry daiquiri:

Despite the jubilation after he finished, however, it's not been plain sailing for the runner, who has not only amassed an army of fans on social media but raised well over half a million pounds for charity.

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Last year, only a few months into his challenge, Cook was held at gunpoint and robbed by two men in Angola.

Speaking at the time, he said: "First things first, we’re grateful to make it out alive.

“We lost a few thousand quids worth of stuff which is a big problem for us, but we will endeavour to soldier on and get things sorted."

And that wasn't it; weeks later, Cook was kidnapped, yes, you read that right, kidnapped while pounding through the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Russ Cook was surrounded by supporters as he crossed the finish line.
LADbible/Dominic Smithers

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Taking to X, Cook explained what happened.

"On day 102 I was separated from the boys & the support van after some impassable roads in the planned route," he told his followers.

"In an attempt to find the boys at a village on the plan B route, I stumbled into a rural settlement where the chief told me I must give him money. I had none. So that went down well.

Russ hugged his team at the finishing line.
LADbible/Dominic Smithers

"Pretty soon I found myself surrounded by lots of game blokes with machetes. Was escorted out the village into the bush.

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"Emptied my bag to show I had nothing but a half eaten biscuit. Gave it to them, and ran.

"Spent the next few hours bushwhacking through overgrown jungle paths. Trying to stay off any tracks until I was far away."

The Hardest Geezer has made it all the way to the finish line.
LADbible/Dominic Smithers

Things got even worse when Cook realised his support team couldn't get to him, and a guy pulled up on a bike, ordering him to get on.

"What happened next was a seven-hour motorbike ride deeper into the jungle. In my head I thought this was it. Me. The self-proclaimed hardest geezer. About to get held in a Congo gulag before being ripped apart limb by limb and eaten."

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He said he was taken to a village where he overheard a group of men debating what to do with him.

Luckily, though, he somehow made it out in one piece and was able to carry on with his challenge.

You can donate to Cook's fundraiser here.

Featured Image Credit: FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images / LADbible
Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

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@SmithersDom

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