Aaron Ramsey to Run London Marathon for Charity Following Retirement

Apr 25, 2026, 09:12

Introduction

Aaron Ramsey, the former Wales captain and professional footballer, will run the London Marathon on Sunday, shortly after announcing his retirement from the sport. The 35-year-old is taking part in the race to raise money for It's Never You, a charity started by his friends Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis after the death of their six-year-old son, Hugh, from a rare form of cancer.

Main Body

Ramsey's retirement ended a period without playing football. He had not played a competitive match for seven months before his announcement, as he had been without a club since leaving the Mexican team Pumas in January. He delayed his retirement because he hoped to be selected for Wales's World Cup squad. However, that goal did not happen after the team failed to qualify. Ramsey has stated that he plans to become a coach. He has already gained experience as interim manager of Cardiff City for three matches and as an unofficial member of Wales head coach Craig Bellamy's staff. He holds most of the necessary coaching qualifications and expressed excitement about future opportunities in that field. The charity It's Never You was started by the Menai-Davises after Hugh was diagnosed with high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma in October 2020 and died on 18 September 2021. Ramsey noted a personal connection: his eldest son, Sonny, is about the same age as Hugh, and the two children played together. He described the family's strength as an inspiration and said that his retirement has given him the time to support the charity more directly. According to Ceri Menai-Davis, Ramsey has already raised over £25,000 for the organization. He also used a butterfly symbol in his goal celebrations as a show of support. On Sunday, Ceri Menai-Davis will also run the marathon while carrying Hugh's shoes around his neck and wearing the names of more than 500 seriously ill children on his back. He explained that the shoes were the ones Hugh wore when he was admitted to hospital, and that he has run previous marathons with them, including in Paris. In earlier races, he carried a 22-kilogram backpack to represent Hugh's weight at the time of his death, meant to symbolize the heavy sadness that parents feel. Ramsey described his own marathon training as challenging but rewarding, noting the lonely aspect of preparing alone.

Conclusion

Ramsey's participation in the London Marathon marks his first major public event since retiring. It combines fundraising for charity with a personal tribute to a friend's child. At the same time, his focus on coaching suggests a planned move into a new phase of his professional life, although his main goal for now is to finish the race alongside Ceri Menai-Davis.

Vocabulary Learning

competitive (adj.)
relating to a situation in which people or teams compete against each other競爭的；有競爭性的
Example:He had not played a competitive match for seven months.
diagnose (v.)
to recognize a disease or condition by examining someone診斷
Example:Hugh was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
qualifications (n.)
official records of achievement that show you have completed a course of study or have skills資格；資歷
Example:He holds most of the necessary coaching qualifications.
retirement (n.)
the act of leaving a job or sport permanently退休
Example:Aaron Ramsey announced his retirement from football.
tribute (n.)
an act or statement showing respect or gratitude for someone致敬；悼念
Example:The marathon is a personal tribute to a friend's child.

Sentence Learning

The 35-year-old is taking part in the race to raise money for It's Never You, a charity started by his friends Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis after the death of their six-year-old son, Hugh, from a rare form of cancer.
Reduced relative clause (passive) and prepositional phrase: The phrase 'a charity started by his friends' uses a reduced relative clause (omitting 'which was') to provide additional information about the charity. The prepositional phrase 'after the death...' indicates the time of the charity's founding.省略關係代詞的被動分詞短語和介詞短語：'a charity started by his friends' 使用了省略關係代詞的被動分詞短語，提供關於該慈善機構的額外資訊。介詞短語 'after the death...' 表示該慈善機構成立的時間。
He had not played a competitive match for seven months before his announcement, as he had been without a club since leaving the Mexican team Pumas in January.
Linking word 'as' for cause: 'As' is used as a conjunction to explain the reason why he had not played for seven months. It connects the result (no matches) with the cause (being without a club).表示原因的連接詞 'as'：'As' 用作連詞，解釋他七個月沒有比賽的原因。它將結果（沒有比賽）與原因（沒有球會）聯繫起來。
The charity It's Never You was started by the Menai-Davises after Hugh was diagnosed with high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma in October 2020 and died on 18 September 2021.
Passive voice in past tense: The passive voice 'was started' and 'was diagnosed' shift focus from the doer to the action itself. This is common in formal reporting to emphasize the events rather than who performed them.過去時態的被動語態：被動語態 'was started' 和 'was diagnosed' 將焦點從動作執行者轉移到動作本身。這在正式報道中常見，以強調事件而非誰做了這些事。
On Sunday, Ceri Menai-Davis will also run the marathon while carrying Hugh's shoes around his neck and wearing the names of more than 500 seriously ill children on his back.
Participle clauses for simultaneous actions: 'While carrying...and wearing...' are present participle phrases that describe actions happening at the same time as the main verb 'will run'. They add descriptive detail without using a full clause.表示同時動作的分詞短語：'While carrying...and wearing...' 是現在分詞短語，描述與主要動詞 'will run' 同時發生的動作。它們在不使用完整從句的情況下增加描述細節。
At the same time, his focus on coaching suggests a planned move into a new phase of his professional life, although his main goal for now is to finish the race alongside Ceri Menai-Davis.
Contrast linking word 'although': 'Although' introduces a subordinate clause that contrasts with the main clause. It shows that despite the focus on coaching, the immediate goal is to finish the race.表示對比的連接詞 'although'：'Although' 引導一個從句，與主句形成對比。它顯示儘管專注於教練工作，當前的目標是完成比賽。