TWELVE pairs of shoes and 19 months in, Tony Mangan has walked across 10 countries and covered more than 18,000 km.
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He is walking around the world to raise awareness about cancer and that early screening can save lives.
“The walk is absolutely fantastic,” he told The Star when we caught up with the Dublin-born globe-trotter on the road about six kilometres south of Glen Innes on Thursday morning.
“I’ve been in Australia since April and I’ve walked all the way from Scarborough Beach in Perth to Sydney.
“I’m having such a wonderful time in your amazing country.
“When I got to Bondi Beach in Sydney I just turned left and here I am walking towards Glen Innes.”
Mr Mangan is famous for his endurance and in 2014 he completed 50,000 km running around the world to raise money and awareness for depression sufferers.
He is also the current world 48-hour indoor track record holder at 426.178 km.
He was also the first runner in history to run two consecutive days of over 200 kilometres (223 and 203) he has broken four world records.
Two of these he still holds as he walks around the world for the third time.
Mr Mangan said while the walk is difficult, it’s nothing compared to what cancer sufferers and their families have to deal with.
“My message on this walk is that early screening can save lives,” he said.
“So far a few people have listened and they went to the doctors and things were discovered.
“As difficult as the walk is, in comparison to problems other people are having it’s not really difficult.
“This is only manual work.”
As difficult as the walk is, in comparison to problems other people are having it’s not really difficult.
- Tony Mangan
Mr Mangan’s walk started on February 27, 2016 and he plans to be finished by 2019.
“After leaving Ireland I walked across England, Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia, China, Vietnam and now Australia,” he said.
Mr Mangan is currently walking along the New England Highway towards Tenterfield, and he will continue on to Brisbane.
He said he’ll head to New Zealand for the summer before returning to Australia early next year.
“Towards the end of February I’ll walk from Brisbane to Mount Isa to Darwin and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
“I might continue back around to Perth.
“I’m just having such a great time.”
Keep track of Mr Mangan’s journey at www.myworldwalk.com.
“Life is precious, early checking saves lives.”
