Swansea's half marathon was finished with a round of applause for its final participant who ran into difficulty during the circuit. Amy May Evans has gone viral on social media for finishing the event on her own two feet.
Organisers of the half marathon shared the image online which welcomed hundreds of messages of love and support, congratulating the 22-year-old for her determination.
Amy had been running the track up until the 8th mile when she suffered with shortness of breath from her asthma and was forced to be seek medical help but was committed to finishing her biggest marathon to date on her own terms. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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The Mayhill resident had been running casually for three years with the aid of her loyal coaches; Sasha Martin, Vicky Tyler and John Martin encouraging her to catch the "runner's bug".
Opting for her biggest challenge to date, Amy signed up with her friends to the Swansea Half Marathon which took place last week on Sunday, June 12.
"I thought why not - I just randomly booked it one day. The whole day was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere and crowds helped encourage me to press on throughout the day," she said.
On mile eight of the 13.1 mile run, disaster struck as Amy had to receive medical attention due to her suffering from asthma and was forced to sit on the side-lines as she recovered. You can read more stories about Swansea here.
Watching people pass the ambulance, Amy recovered her breath and decided she wanted to finish the race on her own terms with St Johns Ambulances escorting her for a final mile returning to Swansea Arena, the finish line.
"I was down by Verdi's when I just couldn't catch my breath and the ambulance staff were quick to help me and make me feel more comfortable.
"When I was being returned to the start by the ambulance, I was determined to finish on a high note which is when I asked to be let out of the ambulance after I felt better."
Wanting to finish on her terms, Amy ran the remaining mile under close supervision of ambulance staff and was determined to prove she was capable of finishing the marathon.
"The half marathon is open to all abilities and I wanted to prove to myself and to everyone that it was possible to do for runners of all abilities," she said. "The picture was shared online and I just was overwhelmed with the responses people made. Everyone is so kind and congratulated me on finishing, I can't thank people enough."
The 22-year-old received a round of applause from onlookers and friends as she finished the marathon and has received hundreds of messages of support becoming a celebrity for her determination.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw, I have read every single message and it has made me so emotional. It has inspired me to keep running, I have the great north run in September to train for now but I am booking my place for Swansea's Half Marathon in 2023, tonight," she added.
Amy hopes her story will help encourage future participants in the event, you can visit the Swansea Half Marathon by clicking here. The post on social media had over 12 thousand likes and over 1000 comments of praise.
David Martin-Jewell, managing director at Front Runner Events said: "We believe that every event participant should be recognised for their achievement. A half marathon is hard for anyone taking part, it takes commitment and determination to reach the end goal. We are an inclusive event that's open to all abilities and believe that everyone deserves their moment of glory. We wish Amy good luck in her next event and hope that she continues to keep setting those personal goals."
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