Search
shop

Billy Monger reveals joy at passing major triathlon milestone in epic charity Kona bid for Comic Relief

Monger spoke of his joy at moving one giant step closer to that epic Comic Relief bid in the brutal heat of Hawaii.
Editor-In-Chief
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Billy Monger has spoken about passing a major milestone as he continues the road to Kona and triathlon’s IRONMAN World Championship in October.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Comic Relief, the 25-year-old former race car driver – now a popular TV presenter and personality, notably for Channel 4 F1 – will take on the sport’s most brutal test in Hawaii on October 26.

After suffering life-changing injuries in a near-fatal race crash in 2017, Billy had both his legs amputated, but he has not let the severity of his injuries stop him from pushing boundaries in sport.

Back racing within a year of his accident, Monger clinched podiums in British F3 races, and in 2021, made his first venture in endurance sport, raising £3 million for charity when he walked, cycled and kayaked across England in four days.

Raising vital funds for the charity, Billy will race in Hawaii as an IRONMAN Ambassador Athlete and has his sights set on the record for fastest double amputee on prosthetic legs.

Hoping to break the record by finishing in under 16 hours, 26 minutes and 59 seconds, Monger’s journey will also be filmed as a documentary that will air on BBC One and iPlayer in 2025.

Massive milestone for Monger

Monger has already reached a major milestone in his amazing challenge by successfully completing his first competitive triathlon – the perennially popular Outlaw Half in Nottingham. The challenge facing him – a 1.2-mile swim, followed by a 56-mile bike and finished with a brutal half marathon (13.1 miles).

Billy successfully passed that first test with flying colours – completing the course in 6:36:50. He came through the swim in 33:17, followed that with a 3:10:47 bike and then topped things off with a 2:39:01 half-marathon.

The finish line pictures show just what this meant to Monger, something he emphasised in his post-race comments. He also detailed the challenges he had faced along the way.

Billy said: This was the first actual event I competed in to try and PREPARE myself as much as possible for KONA 🥵

“The run course was particularly tricky & brutal for me as a Double Amputee with a good chunk of off-road to manage & overcome 🫣🦿

“This was the first time I’d ever attempted to Run a Half Marathon… but WE DID IT 😤

“You can see just how much this one meant to me (definitely no tears under those glasses btw)😉🥹 I learnt a lot about myself that day.

Billy Monger Outlaw Half Nottingham 2024
Billy Monger completes Outlaw Half Nottingham in August 2024 (Photo Credit: Two26 Photography).

Kona lies in wait

While Billy was delighted with his performance in Nottingham, as he stated this road is a long and challenging one, with the brutal test of Kona lying in wait in October.

The race is over the full Ironman distance – a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a full marathon (26.2 miles). And it takes place in tortuous conditions – notably the unrelenting heat that has ended the hopes of many of the sport’s greats down the years.

Graham Shaw
Written by
Graham Shaw
Graham has been involved with TRI247 & RUN247 since the summer of 2021. Since then he has provided strategic direction for all news and is passionate about the growth of triathlon as a fan sport.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Sam Long wins IRONMAN 703 Gulf Coast 2023 [Photo credit: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images for IRONMAN]
Sam Long opens up on US triathlon stars struggling in Europe after big move brought ‘complete mental breakdown’
lionel sanders wins oceanside 2024 [Photo credit: Donald Miralle / IRONMAN]
Lionel Sanders pinpoints the BIGGEST difference from Mark Allen era of triathlon
Sam Laidlow celebrates Challenge Roth win 2025
Triathlon superstar Sam Laidlow went from near DNS at Challenge Roth to epic glory
Alex Yee supertri Neom 2024 win Photo credit: Darren Wheeler | supertri
Supertri Toronto 2025: How to watch live as Alex Yee makes his triathlon return
Dan Lorang Head of Performance BORA - hansgrohe
Touching and heartfelt tribute from Anne Haug’s coach after she announces triathlon retirement
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...