A young British athlete with Down syndrome who won hearts after dancing at the New York Marathon has been nominated for this year’s Variety Inspiration award.
Lloyd Martin, 20, made history earlier this year when he became the youngest person in his learning disability category to complete the grueling 26.2 mile London Marathon. He also holds the half marathon record.
Shortly after, he ran straight into the hearts of crowds across the pond when he was filmed dancing along the New York Marathon route.
Heartwarming footage shows Lloyd busting moves to Rihanna’s 2007 hit Don’t Stop The Music on the streets of Manhattan, thrusting her hips and even jumping into splits to the delight of the crowd.
“I like dancing too much,” Lloyd told FEMAIL. “This kid wanted to show that anything is possible.”
Lloyd Martin (right) and his mother Ceri Hooper (left) take part in the London Marathon in April this year.
Lloyd, who lives in Camberley, Surrey, keeps his Guinness Word Record certificates in a place of honor above his wardrobe and in the downstairs lounge “where everyone can see them”.
His sporting prowess and joyful running manner have earned Lloyd an Inspiration Award nomination at this year’s Variety Disability Sports Awards.
But with the prestigious nomination and two Guinness World Records under his belt, Lloyd isn’t stopping just yet.
When asked if he would consider taking part in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing due to the success of comedian Chris McCausland, Lloyd didn’t hesitate to say yes.
“Definitely,” he told FEMAIL.
Her mother, Ceri Hooper, laughed and added: “Dancing is her favorite thing, but she really likes freestyle, so I don’t know if her professional partner could handle it.”
Lloyd interrupted her and said: “I also want to go on Britain’s Got Talent with my gymnastics and my dancing.”
Even the thought of eating bugs on I’m A Celebrity didn’t deter the youngster, who said he would do anything to meet presenters Ant and Dec.
As well as his reality TV aspirations, Lloyd has already signed up for next year’s London Marathon.
Ceri, who is also an avid runner, already knows she won’t be able to “push him away from music.”
Recalling their second marathon together, Ceri said: “In New York, there were so many DJs, bands and choirs along the route and I think he stopped at every one of them.”
During this year’s London Marathon, Lloyd stopped to do somersaults and breakdancing. He did the same at the New York Marathon in early November.
In April 2024, Lloyd became the youngest person in his learning disability category to complete the grueling race.
He continued: “I know most people think running a marathon is hard work, but Lloyd is proof that you can really enjoy it.”
Ceri, who has completed the London Marathon four times, said she developed a specialized training regime for her son.
He explained that he was careful to schedule only three races per week to prevent the young man from getting injured.
Lloyd went from running three miles to more than 26 miles in just five months.
But the London Marathon marked the first time he ran more than 18 miles in one go.
Finishing this race in the capital city earned him his place in the Guinness Book of Records.
When the mother-son duo crossed the finish line together, they both burst into tears.
Recalling his achievement, Lloyd said: “I was very excited and proud of what I had done.”
Ceri insisted he should be “very proud” and said: “It just goes to show that it’s possible to do anything and follow your dreams.”
“If you want to do something, just go out and do it.”
Crossing the finish line earned Lloyd a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, a milestone that brought the mother-son duo to tears.
Ceri, who has completed the London Marathon four times, said she developed a specialized training regime for her son. (Pictured, left to right: Lloyd’s brother, Finlay, Ceri and Lloyd)
Now the young athlete has turned his attention to gymnastics, hoping to reach the British Disabled Gymnastics Championships.
Eventually, he wants to qualify for the Special Olympic World Games to be held in Santiago, Chile in 2027.
In addition to running and gymnastics, the 20-year-old plays an impressive list of sports, including swimming, golf, trampolining, dodgeball, basketball, and even rowing.
But playing sports has not always been easy.
“We tried a lot of clubs,” Ceri said. ‘Unfortunately they turned us away because they didn’t have an extra pair of hands to give Lloyd personal attention.
‘Even when I volunteered, I was told that parents were not allowed to stay. We understand it a lot.
‘Very often they would say there was a waiting list and then I would find out that a friend’s child had no problem.
“It’s heartbreaking and extremely frustrating because, as a father, I know Lloyd could have progressed very well.
“Hopefully now they’ve seen that Lloyd has proven he’s more than capable.”
Lloyd has turned her attention to gymnastics, hoping to break into British disabled gymnastics. Eventually, he wants to qualify for the Special Olympic World Games to be held in Santiago, Chile in 2027.
Ceri remembers Lloyd being rejected from a long list of sports clubs, even when other parents seemed to have no problem getting their children into it.
Ceri hopes that the various clubs that rejected Lloyd can now see that he “is more than capable”
Lloyd ended up taking part in drama, dance and tennis classes organized by the Stepping Stones charity.
There, Lloyd was able to interact with other children with Down syndrome, a social experience that Ceri described as “fabulous.”
When he was older, Lloyd joined a football club run by Special Olympics GB, which works to provide as many sporting and competitive opportunities as possible for people with intellectual disabilities.
Due to her own difficulty getting Lloyd involved in sports, Ceri has called on clubs to sign up to Special Olympics GB and learn how to offer more inclusive classes.
She said: “It’s literally a couple of forms to fill out and it’s very easy for clubs to do it, but it makes a big difference.”
‘I’d love for Lloyd to join a Special Olympics racing club, but the nearest one is Portsmouth, so that’s not going to happen!
“It really wouldn’t take much to make clubs more inclusive. It’s really sad.’
Special Olympics GB is clearly important to Lloyd – so far all funds raised from his half marathons and marathons have gone to the charity.
Despite being accepted into a sports club at the age of eight, Lloyd has become an impressive athlete.
As well as studying life skills, media and sports at university from Monday to Friday, Lloyd works out regularly at the gym and attends training for a different sport almost every night.
Lloyd ended up taking part in drama, dance and tennis classes organized by the charity Stepping Stones. He later joined a football club organized by Special Olympics GB.
But the 20-year-old will be taking a day off from his busy schedule next week to attend the Variety Disability Sports Awards at the Soho Place Theater on November 25.
Although he doesn’t like to dress “too fancy”, Lloyd told FEMAIL he would consider wearing a polo shirt for the occasion.
The awards will also mark the launch of Variety’s ‘Voices for Change’ campaign, a grassroots advocacy campaign aimed at breaking down barriers that prevent disabled children from low-income families from accessing sports and physical activities.
Lloyd’s message to other people with Down syndrome? “Being outdoors all the time and playing a lot of sports.”
“There is a sport for everyone,” Ceri agreed.