Former world champion for Great Birmingham Run

Will Kash convert Brum to Run?

Former world kickboxing champion Kash ‘the Flash’ Gill is teaming up with Cure Leukaemia’s charity partners South & City College Birmingham with the aim of building a team of 100 runners for this year’s Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run.

The four-times world champion at 4 different weights, born in Handsworth, is an Ambassador at South & City College Birmingham who are supporting Cure Leukeamia by putting teams in both the Velo Birmingham & Midlands and the Great Birmingham Run, which takes place on October 13th.

And he is hoping it will be a case of ‘Cash for Kash’ once the team is assembled, with the aim of raising as much as possible to help Cure Leukaemia fund specialist research nurses to give blood cancer patients access to pioneering clinical trials at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“I have always been keen to get involved in different activities for charity but this will be my biggest challenge yet,” says the 52-year-old, who was a four-time world champion at four different weights, and was the first UK Asian to be world champion in a contact sport.

“Trying to get 100 runners together is certainly a challenge, but why not aim high? I do a lot of talks to students at South & City College, and I also met (Cure Leukaemia patron) Geoff Thomas a few weeks ago who is a real inspiration, so for all us to be linking up should work really well.

“I was born in Birmingham and have been all around the world but this will always be my home so to do something to help a charity which is doing such great work in the City is really important to me.

“I’ve got two bad knees so it will be hard going but I am looking forward to getting stuck in to the training and putting a team together. I run my own gym in Edgbaston and what we can do once we start getting runners in is meet up every four to six weeks to do a run together and discuss how everyone’s training is going.

“It is a big target, but we have a lot of time until October and people have plenty of time to start their training and be ready to take on a half marathon.”

Stephen Dourass, Business and Community Manager at South & City College Birmingham said: “Kash has worked closely with our College as an Ambassador for many years now and continues to inspire our students through running workshop projects and talking to them about his life’s challenges. I’m sure his determination to succeed in life will help raise considerable funds for Cure Leukaemia through his Great Birmingham Run Team – good luck “

Cure Leukaemia are looking to field another sizeable team at the event on October 13th, and Head of Corporate Partnerships Jackie Kelly was delighted to hear about Kash’s plans.

“We are linking up with for various fundraising initiatives, and it is great that Kash is on board for the Great Birmingham Run and is looking to put together a sizeable team of runners,” said Jackie.

“We look forward to seeing that team grow over the coming months and working closely with Kash and the College to raise as many funds as possible for Cure Leukaemia.”

To sign up for Kash’s team and take part in the Great Birmingham Run for Cure Leukaemia, email [email protected]

To sponsor Kash click here or to contact him, email [email protected] www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kash-the-flash-gill