A Paramedic’s Journey and the Tragic Turn
Gareth Hopkins, a 43-year-old paramedic from Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, was taken to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest just one mile from the finish line of the London Marathon. The incident occurred on April 26 as he was running in memory of his late grandmother, aiming to raise funds for the charity Age UK.
Mr. Hopkins, who has served with the East of England Ambulance Service for two decades, was critically injured at mile 25 and is currently receiving treatment in intensive care. His friends and colleagues have set up a GoFundMe page to support his wife, Jodie, and their young children during this challenging time. Over £26,000 has already been raised.
Friends James Pearson and Katie Earley shared a heartfelt message on the fundraising page: ‘As many of you already know, our dear friend and colleague, Gareth Hopkins, tragically suffered a cardiac arrest at mile 25 of the London Marathon on Sunday 26 April. Gareth was running in support of Age UK in memory of his beloved late Nan. He is currently critically ill in intensive care at a London hospital. While the future remains uncertain, we continue to stay hopeful and positive.’
They added that the sudden event has deeply affected Gareth’s family, including his wife, children, parents, and brother. Mr. Hopkins has spent 20 years dedicated to helping others as a paramedic, always committed to supporting people in need.
Many friends, family, and colleagues have reached out to ask how they can help. In response, the GoFundMe page was created to provide financial and practical support while Gareth receives treatment in London. The community’s kindness and support are greatly appreciated.
A New Beginning in Running
Mr. Hopkins only began running last August and entered the marathon alongside his brother Chris, the head groundsman at Stevenage Football Club. They were running for their late grandmother, Tricia Potts, who passed away in January after battling Alzheimer’s and dementia for six years.
Before the race, Mr. Hopkins told the BBC: ‘I’ve never done any exercise for five years. I don’t go to the gym; I’m not a runner. I watched Chris do it last year… and I thought ‘I can probably do that’.’ He admitted that when he started the NHS ‘Couch to 5K programme’, he could not even run for two minutes, but he has since lost a stone in weight.
Despite not expecting to be as fast as his brother, Mr. Hopkins was determined to finish the race, even if it meant enduring pain in his shins.
A Record-Breaking Race
The London Marathon saw several remarkable performances. Sabastian Sawe broke the marathon world record, becoming the first man to break the two-hour barrier in an official competition. He won the event in one hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds. The Kenyan defended his 2025 title, beating Yomif Kejelcha by 11 seconds. The Ethiopian runner-up also crossed the line in one hour, 59 minutes, and 41 seconds, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finished third in two hours and 28 seconds.
All three runners surpassed the previous official world record of two hours and 35 seconds set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Sawe’s time was also 10 seconds faster than the unofficial one hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2019.
In the women’s race, Tigst Assefa defended her London Marathon crown, setting a new women’s-only world record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes, and 41 seconds.
