A WORLD record holder is getting ready to take on a gruelling quadrathlon in aid of some of the world’s poorest children.

Jamie Douglas-Hamilton is no stranger to taking on arduous challenges and holds seven Guinness World Records.

In 2014, he was part of the team that set two world records by rowing 5,000 miles across the Indian Ocean from Australia to South Africa.

Then, at the end of 2019, he was part of a six-strong team who rowed from Chile to mainland Antarctica across the Drake Passage.

In doing so, he was part of the first group to row the body of water between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands by human power alone.

Now, the founder of ACTIPH Water is raising money for Mary’s Meals by taking part in The Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon.

The extreme challenge, known as The Quad, takes place on Saturday.

Jamie, 39, of North Berwick, and his team-mate will swim nearly a mile before running 15 miles over seven Munros, kayaking seven miles and finally cycling 34 miles round Loch Tay.

The former Belhaven Hill School pupil said: “I have always wanted to take part in The Quad as it is one of the most extreme fitness challenges in Scotland.

“The fact that they encourage participants to fundraise for such an amazing charity has propelled me into signing up this year.

“I’m really looking forward to it as I’ve heard that, as well as being challenging, it is an exhilarating and fun event and it’s set in one of the most stunning locations in the UK.

“I think knowing that my efforts will benefit hungry children will help spur me on too.”

The support of fundraisers such as Jamie, who is the grandson of Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton and commander of 602 City of Glasgow Squadron – the first person to fly over the summit of Mount Everest in 1933 in an open cockpit biplane – helps Mary’s Meals feed more children.

The charity was founded nearly 20 years ago and has grown from feeding 200 children in Malawi to serving more than 1.8 million in 19 countries.

Emma Hutton, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, said: “The Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon is a truly inspiring event which has raised more than £400,000 for Mary’s Meals since it has been running.

“We are so thankful to participants like Jamie who are going to such extraordinary lengths to help raise money for hungry children and give them the gift of food, joy and hope.

“Thanks to the kindness of those who donate or fundraise, children who might otherwise be working in fields, or begging on street corners for their next meal, can instead be sitting in classrooms with full stomachs, learning how to read and write.”

In total, it costs £15.90 for Mary’s Meals to feed a child for a year, with 93p from every £1 going directly to its feeding programmes.