Sean Bell, an endurance athlete, currently running for Make-A-Wish, is making his attempt to break the record for fastest time around Australia, while supporting and raising money for Make-a-Wish Australia. His ultimate goal is to raise $1.4 million to represent the 14,000km that he will cover on foot. Inspired by the tragic loss of a beloved football teammate at the age of 18, Sean, an avid runner, embarks on an extraordinary journey to traverse Australia on foot, fuelled by previous feats like completing 50 marathons in 50 days in 2019 and running from Cairns to Melbourne in 2022.
For Sean, the decision to aim for the world record for running around Australia was a natural progression of his journey. ” Once I decided to run around Australia,” he explains, ” it made sense to attempt to break the record to add to the personal challenge for myself. I have great respect for current record holder Dave Alley, who has been a great supporter of myself and my run.”
Though still in the early days of his adventure, Sean cherishes the memorable moments that have already marked his journey. “starting the run at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Day 1 surrounded by friends and family was a very special moment,” he shares. “I also really enjoyed running with the current record holder Dave Alley in Northern New South Wales.”
As Sean navigates the long, challenging days of running, he finds strength and motivation in his dedicated support crew, led by Crew Manager Ben Lavery. Yet, it is the children supported by Make-A-Wish Australia who serve as his ultimate source of inspiration. “If children can battle critical illnesses such as cancer, then I can run and raise funds so their wishes can also come true.”
Although Sean’s route won’t take him through Tannum Sands, he encourages locals to show their support for ‘Run for Wishes’ by donating to Make-A-Wish Australia through the campaign’s dedicated donation page. Additionally, they can visit Bell’s website to learn more about his journey and request personalised video messages through Swysh, with all proceeds going to support Make-A-Wish Australia.
Here is the link to donate: https://fundraise.makeawish.org.au/seanbell