Telethon 2023: Members of iamFIT Training pushed sled loaded with 100kg for 24hrs and raised $20,000

A Perth gym’s extraordinary 24-hour challenge has not only set a new world record, it’s also raised a mammoth amount of money for sick kids in WA.

Members of iamFIT Training pushed a gym sled loaded with 100kg for 24 hours straight to raise more than $20,000 for a high-tech rehab device for Telethon beneficiary Perth Children’s Hospital.

The Edgewater gym’s owner, Matt Schmechtig, knows all too well how essential that funding is after spending time in PCH as a toddler when he was involved in a horrific car accident.

“The challenge for me was going to be something quite big, so I started looking around of what we could do as a gym for a world record then as soon as I decided it was to raise money I immediately thought of Telethon,” he said.

“I myself got hit by a car when I was three so I needed a lot of care. I nearly lost my life.

“We have a few members that have had little ones that have gone into hospital or needed a lot of care, so raising money for Telethon just made sense.”

Schmechtig said everyone was nervous but excited in the lead up to the extreme endeavour.

“We had been practising (and) training for the last 10 weeks,” he said.

But the 100-strong team had nothing to be nervous about, easily surpassing their goal of pushing the sled marathon-distance — 42.2km — back and forth along a 20m-long sled-track.

They reached a staggering 62km, setting a new Guinness World Record for the furthest distance pushing a 100kg gym sled in 24 hours.

But the real reward for the gym is knowing the funds will buy a Neofect Smart Glove to help support children in PCH with fine motor dysfunction.

It’s a high-tech rehabilitation device that measures movements of the forearm, wrist, and fingers to help develop upper limb function.

“We were only at $11,000 on Wednesday and then we got quite a few big donations come through and we got the rest straight away during a mega raffle as the challenge got underway,” Schmechtig said.

“I’m glad the team could be a part of something that not only pushes us mentally and physically but helped raise money for Telethon.”

The 26-hour Telethon broadcast kicks off Saturday 7pm and finishes Sunday evening, broadcast live at RAC Arena.

To donate, call 1300 737 507 or visit telethon7.com/donate.