Olympian Mark Todd and tetraplegic former international equestrian Catriona Williams are among 20 New Zealanders taking part in the New York Marathon this year to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries.
The team hope to raise funds for the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust's initiative to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
Williams, who was confined to a wheelchair after a riding accident in 2002, will become one of the few people to attempt the marathon using a hand-cycle.
Todd, a patron of the trust, said the equestrian world was conscious that spinal cord injuries were a risk of the sport.
He was thrilled to make a difference, he said.
Sporting accidents lead to 40 percent of spinal cord injuries in New Zealand.
