Losing Limbs at 14, Track and Field Star Sends Strong Message After 7-Year Return

It’s funny how life has a way of circling back to the things we once swore off forever. When Sammi Kinghorn crossed the finish line of the 2018 Commonwealth Games marathon, she made a bold declaration. Never again! The grueling 26.2 miles had left her exhausted, disheartened, and vowing she was done with marathons for good. But much like Steve Redgrave once famously took back his own retirement promise, Kinghorn found herself drawn back to the challenge she had left behind. Now, at 29, fresh off a history-making Paralympic gold medal last year in Paris, Kinghorn lined up once more. This time at the London Marathon, to rewrite her marathon story.

Returning to the distance after seven long years wasn’t just a test of endurance; it was a reflection of the incredible journey she’s been on. Less than a year ago, Kinghorn stood atop the podium at Paris 2024, achieving a dream she had chased for over a decade by winning the T53 100m Paralympic title. Her comeback to marathon racing wasn’t about unfinished business. It was about embracing her evolution as an athlete. And while the London streets weren’t easy, Kinghorn showed her grit once again, finishing seventh overall in the wheelchair division.

Athletics Weekly took to X, posting, “Sammi Kinghorn reflects on her second-ever marathon and her first one in seven years 🔥,” and for Kinghorn, that reflection was filled with a refreshing honesty. Speaking after the race, she admitted the day wasn’t without its hiccups. “Good, it was good. As I said, I had a bit of a technical issue straight off the start, running my wheels with Robin, so I knew that it was going to make it a quite challenging race. I just kind of had to go into myself and was like, Right, just keep pushing, as my left arm was burning. The early adversity could have derailed her mentally, but Kinghorn leaned into the struggle. Pushing through the pain, relying on pure grit to carry her through the 26.2-mile test.

It was clear this race wasn’t about chasing perfection; it was about reclaiming the simple joy of competition. After years of heavy pressure leading up to her Paralympic triumph, Kinghorn had promised herself a different kind of 2025. No major medals to chase, no suffocating expectations. Just racing for the love of it. “Like, obviously, I’m going to go out hard, and I’m going to try and be as close to the front as possible, but, like, I had a good chunk of time off in January because I got married, and it was lovely, and I sat on a beach in the Maldives for a little while” she said. After battling crippling pre-race nerves for so much of her career, often vomiting minutes before sprint finals. This more relaxed version of Kinghorn was a revelation.

Of course, the London Marathon still came with its learning curves. Navigating the crowded, fast-moving pack is a different beast compared to sprinting solo on a track. Yet even in those imperfect moments, Kinghorn found exactly what she had been searching for. A race not ruled by pressure, but by growth and enjoyment. Finishing seventh in a stacked field wasn’t just a result; it was a triumph of perspective, resilience, and personal evolution.