Sixteen-year-old wins main event at Maldon Mud Race

17 hours ago 1

11 minutes ago

Jodie Halford,in Maldonand

Lewis Adams,Essex

BBC A teenage boy raises his arms in victory as he crosses the finish line of a mud race on a sunny day. He wears a bright green top with matching green gloves with mud on them. His brown hair is wet. People can be seen running through the mud behind him in the distance.

A 16-year-old managed to fight off competition from hundreds of plucky competitors to win an annual race through a boggy riverbed.

The first race kicked off at 14:30 BST and was impressively won by Albert who admitted he had done no preparation.

This year also saw the first ever elite race for the super-fit which was won by John Matthews who had only decided to take it on last week.

A teenage boy smiles at the camera. He has wet hair and wears a bright green top and green gloves.

Albert told the BBC after the race: "[It was] very good, but very hard. I never thought I'd win."

Asked if he had done any preparation, he added: "None at all, absolutely nothing.

"My legs are burning, but my head is very happy.

"I don't know how I did it... I'll be coming back next year."

Albert's dad, Paralympian and world record holder in the 800m, Danny Crates, said he could not believe how well his son did.

"Being the youngest and potentially setting a record time makes it special as well," he said.

"He's put me to shame. I'd still be out there now if I'd run it."

A man wearing a bright yellow top which is partly covered in mud smiles at the camera. Tens of other people surround him, also covered in mud.

The elite race took place at 15:30 after the course had been churned up by the other competitors.

Matthews, after his win, told the BBC: "It was much harder than I thought it would be, near enough impossible.

"You have to pull your legs out with your hands, it was near enough a full body workout."

Despite only having decided to race last week, he was confident of the win and joked, "I couldn't lose to an Olympian", in reference to boxer Lewis Richardson, who also took part.

Men and women crawl through a muddy bank on a sunny day. They are covered in mud and some look exhausted as they make their way through. Other people can be seen behind them crawling through a flatter section of mud.

A man smiles at the camera covered completely in mud. His long black hair is similarly covered and he is not wearing a top. Other people covered in mud can be seen behind him as a photographer takes pictures.

The river temperature was expected to be about 8C during the race.

The event has helped raise thousands for charity over the years. The idea was born out of a dare made to the landlord of the Queen's Head pub in 1973, who had to serve a meal on a strip of land in the river at low tide.