From brain injury to half marathon, Queenstown woman's battle

This Saturday, Queenstown local Emma Eckhold will tackle the half marathon distance at the Queenstown Marathon alongside her physio and friend Corrie Jensen in a bid to raise funds for the Queenstown Trails Trust.

For Eckhold, the race represents far more than 21.1 kilometres. At 19, her life changed dramatically when she was struck by a jetboat on the Kawarau River, suffering a severe traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, and internal injuries. She spent 92 days in a coma, months in hospital, and years in rehab learning to walk again.

 “I’m doing this as a personal challenge and hope to inspire anyone who thinks running a half marathon is out of their reach,” Eckhold said. “At age 19 I was involved in an accident on the river which left me in hospital for many months with a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures and internal injuries. I had to relearn to walk and was left with mobility issues that I never let beat me.”

Eckhold started working with Jensen over a year ago, struggling with balance and fatigue. Despite the initial challenges, the team set a goal of running 1km without stopping.

“Emma and I met when I started working with Back On Track in 2024. She was struggling with balance and fatigue but set a goal of running 1km without stopping,” said Jensen. “She continues to work on her strength and balance, which is something she will have to work on forever, and has good days and bad days, but always stays positive. Emma's brain and physical injuries mean our sessions vary greatly, and she lives with ongoing fatigue,” she said.

As the weeks went by, Eckhold's ambition grew – from early outdoor mobility sessions, to 1km, to a 5km goal. Recently, she set her sights higher: the Queenstown Half Marathon.

“Emma set a new goal more recently of running a half marathon, and despite us being short on time we thought there's no better run than possibly the prettiest marathon in the world in Queenstown,” Jensen said. “Emma's been involved in structuring a training plan and is looking forward to inspiring others to dream big.” 

For Jensen, the finish line will be emotional as she watches her patient turned friend achieve a goal that once seemed imaginable. 

“I will undoubtedly have tears as she crosses the finish line. I’m incredibly proud of her – she’s definitely more than a physio patient to me. We’re looking forward to celebrating with our families afterwards.”

The pair's run will raise funds for the Queenstown Trails Trust, hoping to inspire others and give back to the trails that have played a key role in Eckhold's recovery.

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Main image: Corrie Jensen (L) and Emma Eckhold (R) will tackle the Queenstown Half Marathon this weekend.