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From Antarctica to Miami: Pembroke Pines duo eyes seven-continent marathon feat

By Edited by Mike Garbett and produced with AI assistance
Max Fink, left, and Michael Sayih were awarded the Guinness World Records certificate for being the youngest wheelchair duo to complete the six World Marathon Majors at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.
Max Fink, left, and Michael Sayih were awarded the Guinness World Records certificate for being the youngest wheelchair duo to complete the six World Marathon Majors at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon. Courtesy of Max Fink

A Pembroke Pines nonprofit leader with cerebral palsy and his running partner are aiming to become the first wheelchair duo to complete a marathon on all seven continents in a single week.

Michael Sayih and Max Fink will take on The Great World Race in November.

FULL STORY: Seven days. Seven continents. One historic goal for Pembroke Pines nonprofit leader

Michael Sayih and his father, Jim Sayih, are the heads of Special Compass, a Pembroke Pines-based nonprofit that pairs volunteer athletes with those of limited abilities.
Michael Sayih and his father, Jim Sayih, are the heads of Special Compass, a Pembroke Pines-based nonprofit that pairs volunteer athletes with those of limited abilities. Courtesy of Jim Sayih

Here are key takeaways:

  • Sayih, 33, and Fink, 34, already hold the record as the youngest running duo to complete the six World Marathon Majors while pushing a wheelchair, a feat they accomplished in March 2025.
  • The Great World Race sends runners through seven marathons in seven days across seven continents. Only 83 runners have finished it since it launched in 2024.
  • The first leg is a 26.2-mile trek through Wolf’s Fang, Antarctica. Sayih’s $10,000 Axiom Arrow race chair will be outfitted with skis, and Fink is considering training on sand, turf and ice rinks to prepare.
  • After Antarctica, The Great World Race (Nov. 15-21) heads to South Africa, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Portugal and Colombia before closing the competition in Miami.
  • Entry costs roughly $57,000 per person for charter flights, lodging, race fees, food and medical insurance. Donors are helping the pair cover the cost.
  • Jim Sayih, Michael’s father and founder of the nonprofit Special Compass, said seeing his son compete could open doors for other athletes with disabilities: “Michael being a part of it is just going to open up more eyes for athletes like him.”

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.

Screen grab of The Great World Race’s route, which starts in Antarctica and ends in Miami.
Screen grab of The Great World Race’s route, which starts in Antarctica and ends in Miami. Courtesy of the Great World Race
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