Man becomes first Welsh person with Down's syndrome to run London Marathon
A man from Ammanford has become the first person with Down's syndrome in Wales to complete the London Marathon.
This year saw runners take part from across the country, with only elite athletes allowed to complete the traditional route in London due to the pandemic.
Michael Beynon, who is also visually impaired, completed the 26.2 mile journey despite being told he would need a wheelchair for most of his adult life.
The keen runner took on the challenge - which has been a dream of his for years - in a bid to raise money for the learning disability charity Mencap.
Michael raised more than £3,000, which he hopes will help other people with learning disabilities achieve their dreams.
Sharing his achievement on social media, the 25-year-old said: "I finished the London Marathon through rain, strong wind and lots of mud. Very emotional."
Michael completed the journey in 8.5 hours, despite also having a muscle condition and cerebral palsy that doctors said would stop him from walking.
Michael said: "I really enjoyed the day but I’m tired and hungry.
"It was important for me to run and raise money for Mencap as they have supported me and my family for 20 years. I wanted to give something back to the charity."
Mencap was Virgin Money London Marathon’s Charity of the Year, with 312 runners including 10 with learning disabilities raising money for it through the event.
Michael's family said they cannot quite believe how far he has come.
"We were fortunate when he did start to walk 10 years ago, and then getting up to just doing 50 metres, I've been more than happy with that," his stepfather Steven Walker said.
"But then he's progressed, and to be able to see him getting to this sort of level, I never thought it would happen."
His personal assistant, Katie Jones, said: "Just when you think, 'maybe he's had enough', there's a reserve.
"We call him the mountain goat because there's always a reserve with Mike, and it's just a privilege to be a part of it."