On Home Ground: Jonathan Richter’s World Championship 5K

On Saturday, the streets of Copenhagen became the backdrop for the 5K at the World Road Championships, and for Jonathan Richter, it was a chance to take on the city with his twin brother Simon and the Levitate team by his side.

Jonathan is a former professional footballer whose career took an unexpected turn following a serious injury that led to an amputation. Sport, however, has remained a constant. Today, he continues to push himself across football, training and running, always looking for the next challenge. For his runs, he uses a Levitate Blade, keeping sport firmly at the centre of his life.

This race was different, though. Jonathan wasn't running alone.

The Levitate team got together and ran alongside him. The plan was simple: stay close, run together and be there for every step from the start line to the finish.

Not everyone on the team is a runner. Everyone came with a different pace, a different level of experience and a different idea of what a 5K should feel like. But once the race started, none of that mattered very much. The team found its rhythm amongst some of the best runners in the world, stayed together and moved through the streets of Copenhagen.

Thirty-five minutes later, Jonathan crossed the finish line with the Levitate team right behind him.

There were tired legs, plenty of emotion, cheers from the sidelines and a final push through those last few hundred meters. Most of all, there was the feeling of having shared something special.

Sport has a way of bringing people together. Sometimes you're the one setting the pace. Sometimes you're the one trying to keep up. And sometimes the most important thing is simply being there.

Proud of Jonathan, proud of Simon, and proud of everyone who showed up.

Images captured by Elias Gonzalez.