Telethon 2025: Runners raise more than $200,000 at the Perth Running Festival marathon
Legends big and small from all walks of life pounded the pavement Sunday to help raise more than $200,000 for the Telethon.
Among the 15,200 people who attended the Perth Running Festival was Junior Telethon Star Xavier Summers, who completed the 10-kilometer course in a wheelchair with the help of his uncle Shannan Brown.
The eight-year-old said he was “really happy” as he crossed the finish line at Optus Stadium after receiving plenty of encouragement along the way.
“People were stopping and high-fiving me… I really liked it,” he said.
Mr Brown, 43, said driving through the Graham Farmer Highway tunnel was a remarkable moment for the pair.
“This is not something everyone can do, and for him it’s very different and very exciting,” he said.
It was Mr Brown’s first time running behind a wheelchair, and he likened the experience to “pushing a 10km sled”.
“It was a very different kind of running… it’s not a purpose-built racing chair or anything like that, so it’s not particularly well-built for running fast,” he added.
“Team Mateo” was a force to be reckoned with, consisting of 37 runners who helped raise over $27,000 in honor of six-year-old Mateo Domazetovski, one of this year’s Telethon champions.
The Sacred Heart Elementary School student was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma (a slow-growing tumor of the brain) last December.
Anne Ceffra Domazetovski crossed the finish line with Mateo; This was something he wasn’t sure would be possible before his 4km run.
“It was incredible, the day was incredible,” he said.
This sentiment was echoed by Mateo, who described the experience as “amazing.”
12-year-old Nia Collova and her mother, Sarah Collova, also had big smiles on their faces at the finish line.
Nia was diagnosed with Dup15q Syndrome when she was just 16 months old; This is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that causes a number of health problems.
Proceeds will go towards funding medical research, vital equipment and life-changing opportunities for WA’s sickest children.
