An athlete with Down syndrome may not have won the New York Marathon, but he certainly won the hearts of the crowds gathered along the 26.2-mile course.
Lloyd Martin, 20, ran his second marathon last weekend in the Big Apple after making history earlier this year in London as the youngest person in his learning disability category to complete the grueling race.
But the young runner, whose family is from Cardiff, didn’t seem worried about beating his London Marathon time and decided to enjoy a moment in the spotlight as he danced his way along the route.
Heartwarming footage shows Lloyd busting moves to Rihanna’s 2007 hit Don’t Stop The Music, thrusting her hips and even jumping to the delight of the crowd.
“I’m incredibly proud,” said his mother Ceri Burnell, who joked that she couldn’t “separate Lloyd” from any music they passed along the way.
‘Other runners would stop and dance with him. It was quite contagious,” he told bbc.
Lloyd Martin, 20, ran his second marathon last weekend in the Big Apple, but didn’t seem worried about beating his London Marathon time and decided to take regular dance breaks.
Heartwarming footage shows Lloyd busting moves to Rihanna’s 2007 hit Don’t Stop The Music, thrusting her hips and even jumping on splits to the delight of the crowd.
Lloyd completed the marathon in eight and a half hours, stopping at every musical performance along the route, “whether it was a choir, a band, a DJ.”
Although Lloyd is well-known in British running circles, Ceri said he hoped his son would be more anonymous in the United States.
But as they ran through New York, runners would stop to say they had seen him in London or at the Great North Run.
So far this year, Lloyd has completed two marathons and two half marathons in his fundraising campaign for Special Olympics GB.
Before undertaking the great feat of a marathon, Lloyd had already completed a staggering 40 park runs.
Ceri, who has flown the flag for Wales in track and cross country racing since he was a teenager, created a specialist training regime for his son.
He explained that he was careful to schedule only three runs per week to prevent the young man from getting injured while also attending gymnastics and soccer training.
The mother-son duo went from running three miles to more than 26 miles in just five months.
According to Ceri, the London Marathon was the first time Lloyd ran more than 18 miles in one go.
And of course, Lloyd couldn’t help but do cartwheels and breakdance around the capital.
The mother-son duo, who had only been training for five months before the marathon, burst into tears after crossing the finish line in London.
Praising the London public for their support, the mother-of-two said Lloyd was doing cartwheels and breakdancing as she completed the epic feat.
Lloyd became the youngest person in his learning disability category to complete the grueling race.
Describing her son as “extraordinary”, Ceri added: “He just goes to show that it is possible to do anything and follow your dreams.” If you want to do something, just go out and do it.”
However, Lloyd’s sporting journey has not always been easy.
Ceri revealed that her son was often rejected from sports clubs of all levels when he was a child.
“We spent the first few years of his life struggling to get into clubs and were often rejected,” Ceri previously told MailOnline.
“When he was a baby, the acceptance seemed to be there, but as he started to get older and want to join gymnastics clubs and soccer clubs and other things, I was told he needed individualized treatment.
‘Even when I offered to stay with him it was: “Well, we don’t allow parents to stay.”
“It was always just a slap in the face. Especially when, as a mother, you know how capable he is.
Eventually, the world record holder enrolled in a sports club at the age of eight, but Ceri never felt “truly accepted.”
She now hopes her son’s phenomenal achievement will break down more barriers for people with Down syndrome, as well as the learning disability community as a whole.
Lloyd’s sporting journey hasn’t always been easy, with his mother Ceri revealing to MailOnline that he had to fight for years to be accepted into sporting clubs (pictured: Ceri and Lloyd as children).
Finally, at the age of eight, Lloyd was accepted into a sports club, but Ceri felt he was never “truly accepted” (pictured: Lloyd practicing athletics as a child).
“It was always just a slap in the face. Especially when, as a mother, you know how capable he is,” she said (pictured: Lloyd as a child).
Ceri, who has run the London Marathon four times, hopes her son’s achievement will further break stereotypes and encourage others to follow their dreams (left to right: Lloyd’s brother, Finlay, Ceri and Lloyd).
The proud mother said: “Hopefully the word has spread now.”
‘We must accept our children and give them the best possible opportunity, because it is possible. They can do these things.’
He added: “It may take them a little longer, but they can achieve what they want.”
Lloyd’s next goal is to complete the six major world marathons.
“I’m aware of how much training it’s going to require, so we’re going to do it one at a time,” Ceri said.
In a moving interview with Good Morning Britain after completing the London Marathon, Lloyd said: “May your dreams be with you always.” Be yourself and live and dream always. In fact, you can learn to run if you want.
