BATHURST’S 2019 Australia Day ambassador Greg Donovan won’t be a complete stranger to the city when he arrives to fulfil his duties later this month.
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The Northern Beaches resident is best-known for founding the Born to Run Foundation in 2012, which aims to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
Mr Donovan’s decision to found the charity came after his son, Stephen, was diagnosed with both Type 1 diabetes and Coeliac disease in 2008.
Mr Donovan said he had been to Bathurst a number of times in the past.
“I’ve passed through Bathurst many times and I’ve been there many times before when I was growing up,” he said.
“I’ve noticed how it’s a growth area over the years.
“Being an Australia Day ambassador, it’s something to be proud of and great to celebrate the day in the community.
“I’m looking forward to meeting so many people in the community and learning more about Bathurst.
“It’s a chance to meet some of the real doers in the community and meet some of the people in Bathurst who’ve achieved some great things.”
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When Mr Donovan founded the Born to Run Foundation, he put together a team of five people, including his eldest son Matthew, to run 250 kilometres across each of the four most forbidding deserts in the world.
The series finished in Antarctica.
The challenge, dubbed the 4 Deserts, took Mr Donovan’s team to the Atacama Crossing in Chile, the Gobi March in China and Mongolia, the Sahara Race in Egypt and Namibia and the Last Desert in Antarctica.
The 4 Deserts is rated by Time Magazine, alongside the Tour de France and Dakar Rally, as one of the top 10 most challenging endurance events on the planet.
Only 11 people have managed to achieve this feat, and the five-person Born to Run Team was the first team to complete the 4 Deserts grand slam.
Mr Donovan is married to Raylene and the couple have three children – Laura, Matthew and Stephen.
Bathurst’s Australia Day ambassador last year was the accomplished runner and triathlete Dani Andres.
He had also been to Bathurst several times before, including to compete in the annual Blayney to Bathurst ride.
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