Internet star with cerebral palsy set to take on final mile of the Great South Run

AN ATHLETE with cerebral palsy who became an internet sensation after footage of her boxing on her knees went viral is preparing to take on a mile of the Great South Run.
Kate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South RunKate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South Run
Kate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South Run

Kate Farley, known online as the Girl Boxer with CP, will join thousands of participants in Portsmouth for the final stretch of the 10-mile event on Sunday, October 21.

The 29-year-old fashion journalist from Bournemouth has never walked the distance before and will complete the it with a walker alongside two of her friends.

The walk is set to be '˜big challenge' for Kate '“ who usually exercises by boxing on her knees and dreams of making disabled boxing a Paralympic sport.

Kate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South RunKate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South Run
Kate Farley with her walker - and signature pink boxing gloves. Picture: Great South Run

She said: '˜I decided to do this because I'm determined to strengthen my legs, along with proving to myself that despite tiring easily through the effort and control it takes to walk, I want to achieve this milestone '“ hopefully inspiring others along the way.

'˜This is a very big challenge for me. It'll be testing but with adequate training and lots of determination and motivation, I feel the walk will be achievable.'

Kate's walk will raise money for Superpeople, a charity she co-founded with close friends Natalie Betts, 28, Hannah White, 24, and Jake Atkins, 29 '“ to showcase how disabled and non-disabled people can work together and create social change.

The cause produces video CVs for those who find it hard to gain employment, creates films highlighting accessible clubs disabled or non-disabled people can attend, and encourages disabled people to follow their dreams.

Kate Farley. Picture: Great South RunKate Farley. Picture: Great South Run
Kate Farley. Picture: Great South Run

While Kate will start her challenge at the nine-mile point on Eastney Esplanade, her fellow Superpeople colleagues and a group of supporters will take on the full 10 miles to raise money and awareness for the charity.

Natalie said: '˜It was a no-brainer to choose the Simplyhealth Great South Run as our fundraising event.

'˜I was born and bred in Portsmouth and nothing could motivate me more to keep running than reaching all the event's landmarks such as the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, South Parade Pier and finally Southsea Castle.'

The team will be joined by 20,000 people at the Simplyhealth Great South Run in, which organisers say celebrates the historic and iconic sites of the city across a '˜virtually flat' 10-mile course.

Top row, left-to-right, Natalie Betts and Jake Atkins, with bottom row, left-to-right, Hannah White and Kate Farley - founders of Superpeople. Picture: Great South RunTop row, left-to-right, Natalie Betts and Jake Atkins, with bottom row, left-to-right, Hannah White and Kate Farley - founders of Superpeople. Picture: Great South Run
Top row, left-to-right, Natalie Betts and Jake Atkins, with bottom row, left-to-right, Hannah White and Kate Farley - founders of Superpeople. Picture: Great South Run

Kate has been training on a treadmill and hopes to complete the mile in less than 30 minutes.

She added: '˜This is a completely different challenge for me as I box on my knees, but I hope to enjoy it just as much as when I'm boxing.

'˜I'm looking forward to taking part amongst everybody else and soaking up the atmosphere.

'˜But most of all I am looking forward to proving to myself that I can do something when I put my mind to it, despite having physical restrictions.

'˜I will feel extremely proud when I cross the finish line and will be proud to pioneer our Superpeople charity and fly the flag for disability.'