Champion Marathon runner Kerryn McCann dies

Yesterday in Australia there was sad news about the passing of Dual Commonwealth Games marathon gold medallist Kerryn McCann. She died from cancer at the age of 41.

McCann was best remembered in Australia for her gutsy win the the Marathon event at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. It was one of the great finishes in Marathon history. McCann entered the huge Melbourne Cricket Ground stadium along side Kenyan runner Hellen Cherono. With the roar of the crowd lifting her she pushed ahead to win. This was perhaps her greatest moment in competition.

McCann had four years earlier led Australia to a clean sweep of the Marathon medals in Manchester.

She is survived by her husband Greg and their children Benton (11), Josie (5) and Cooper (14 months).

It was in August last year, while pregnant with Cooper that McCann was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She completed a course of chemotherapy in January 2008 but it was then discovered that she had secondary cancer in her liver.

This is a great loss for not only her family but also Australia as McCann was admired by countless mums across the country and was in inspiration to many.

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