Matt Hampson is preparing to face what he calls his “Everest” – the 2026 London Marathon. More than two decades after a rugby training accident left him paralysed from the neck down, the former England Under-21 star will navigate the 26.2-mile course in a custom racing chair while dependent on a ventilator. His participation aims to raise awareness and funds for the Matt Hampson Foundation, which supports young people affected by serious sporting injuries.
Hampson will not be alone on the course. He will be joined by Sir AP McCoy, the record-breaking former jump jockey who won the Grand National and rode 4,358 winners during his career. McCoy, who retired from horseracing a decade ago, is undertaking his first-ever marathon as a support runner for his friend. The two have become close through their shared experiences with life-altering injuries in sport.
The Matt Hampson Foundation was established by Hampson following his injury in 2005 during an under-21 England rugby training session. Based at the Get Busy Living Centre in Burrough on the Hill, Leicestershire, the charity provides advice, support, relief and treatment for individuals who have sustained serious injuries, primarily related to sport. Hampson breathes using a ventilator, which has been adapted to his racing wheelchair for the marathon challenge.
McCoy’s decision to run was influenced by the experience of his close friend and fellow Grand National winner, Graham Lee. Lee suffered a spinal injury in a fall from a horse in 2023, leaving him also paralysed from the neck down. After leaving hospital, Lee received support from the Matt Hampson Foundation, which he has credited with helping him rebuild his life. McCoy said seeing the foundation’s impact on Lee and others motivated him to seize on the marathon despite previously having “no desire” to run such a distance.
In April 2025, McCoy spoke publicly about his change of heart, stating: “I never ever had any desire to do a marathon before, ever, because I was such a selfish person when I was competing and I always thought, ‘what’s the point doing the marathon if you’re not going to win it?'” He added that his perspective shifted after witnessing how the foundation supports individuals like Lee and their families through physical and emotional challenges following serious injury.
The duo aims to raise £100,000 through their participation in the 2026 London Marathon to sustain the foundation’s work. Hampson, who will also take part in the race using his adapted racing chair, hopes the effort will highlight the importance of ongoing support for young people adjusting to life after traumatic sporting injuries. The foundation’s “Get Busy Living” philosophy centres on helping beneficiaries uncover purpose and activity beyond recovery.
McCoy, now 51 and from Northern Ireland, described the marathon as a new kind of race – one where victory is measured not in finishing first, but in completing the course for a cause greater than personal achievement. His involvement marks a significant moment in his post-racing life, transforming from a competitor focused solely on winning to an advocate using his platform to support others facing adversity.
The London Marathon, scheduled for 26 April 2026, will see Hampson and McCoy start alongside thousands of other runners. While Hampson will proceed in his ventilator-supported racing chair with a dedicated team, McCoy will run on foot as part of the support crew. Their joint participation underscores the foundation’s mission to foster resilience and community in the wake of life-changing sports injuries.
As the event approaches, both men continue to prepare for the physical and logistical demands of the course. For Hampson, this includes ensuring his racing chair and ventilator systems are fully adapted for the marathon distance. For McCoy, it involves training for his first 26.2-mile run, a challenge he once dismissed but now embraces as a meaningful tribute to friendship and resilience.
The Matt Hampson Foundation relies on donations and fundraising events like the London Marathon to maintain its services at the Get Busy Living Centre. These include rehabilitation support, peer mentoring, and programmes designed to help young people regain independence and engagement in life after injury. Public awareness generated by high-profile participants such as McCoy and Hampson plays a vital role in sustaining these efforts.
With the 2026 London Marathon now confirmed as the date for this charitable endeavour, the focus remains on preparation and outreach. Neither Hampson nor McCoy has framed the run as a personal athletic achievement, but rather as a collective effort to amplify the foundation’s reach and resources. Their journey from injury to advocacy exemplifies how sport can extend beyond competition to become a force for support and solidarity.
As of the latest verified updates, the Matt Hampson Foundation continues to operate from its Leicestershire base, providing direct assistance to individuals and families affected by spinal and serious sporting injuries. The foundation’s work remains centred on practical aid, emotional support, and promoting active, engaged lives following trauma – a mission that Hampson and McCoy aim to advance through their participation in one of the world’s most renowned marathons.
Readers wishing to learn more about the Matt Hampson Foundation or support its initiatives can visit the organisation’s official channels for verified information on its programmes, events, and ways to contribute. The foundation encourages public engagement as part of its broader goal to ensure no young person faces the aftermath of a serious sporting injury alone.