Ian Botham completes toughest day of Beefy walk
November 4, 2013
Indian cricket captain greats Sourav Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar joined Ian Botham on Beefy's Big Sri Lanka Walk today on the toughest day of the fundraising trek across Sri Lanka.
Totalling 40 kilometres, today's leg of the walk was twice the distance completed yesterday, and the heat was approaching upwards of 45 degrees to make things even tougher.
The walk started in the bustling city of Kandy, where scores of cricket fans filled the streets to see the three legends of cricket in person. Following which the walk passed, once again, through beautiful Sri Lankan countryside before reaching Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
Reflecting at the finish line on the arduous journey he had just taken, Ganguly said: "It was an unbelievable experience. What I've seen Ian do is unreal i walked 25km but not at his pace.
"I was very young when he played, but this must be how he has always been. It was fabulous to see."
Totalling 40 kilometres, today's leg of the walk was twice the distance completed yesterday, and the heat was approaching upwards of 45 degrees to make things even tougher.
The walk started in the bustling city of Kandy, where scores of cricket fans filled the streets to see the three legends of cricket in person. Following which the walk passed, once again, through beautiful Sri Lankan countryside before reaching Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
Reflecting at the finish line on the arduous journey he had just taken, Ganguly said: "It was an unbelievable experience. What I've seen Ian do is unreal i walked 25km but not at his pace.
"I was very young when he played, but this must be how he has always been. It was fabulous to see."
And it seems there was reason to be impressed. Botham has been undertaking walks for charity for almost 30 years. And this day was one he believes will be one to remember.
Botham said: "Today was one of the toughest days of walking I have ever had. The best bit of the walk was definitely the finish, so the team did well."
Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian cricket captain and friend of Bothams, added: "It's a fantastic thing to come to a completely different country and do a charity walk. It's commendable. The energy he brings, the pace he sets, it left all us behind so hats off to him.
The way he supports his causes is a lesson to us all. We should take a leaf out of his book."
Keep following the walk on the official Laureus Twitter and Facebook accounts.
