To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Comic Relief, it has been announced that former race car driver Billy Monger will compete at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona on October 26.
Raising vital funds for the charity, the 25-year-old 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 be filmed as a documentary that will air on BBC One and iPlayer in 2025.
Becoming a triathlete
After suffering life-changing injuries in a near-fatal race crash in 2017, Monger had both his legs amputated, but he hasn’t 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.
Kona, he says, will likely push him to “my physical and mental breaking points”, but by race day, the Surrey native will have completed 12 months of training, which includes learning to swim in open water, clamp into magnetic bike pedals and adjust to new running blades.
The Comic Relief spirit
In a press released shared with TRI247 after the announcement, Monger said that whilst his previous endeavour had been challenging, he anticipates that the race in Kona will take everything he’s got.
“I’ve never run a marathon before, I’ve never cycled for 7-8 hours in a row, or swam 4km in the ocean. Add the heat and humidity of Hawaii to it all and there’s just so many factors to deal with – I know this is going to take every single bit of effort that I’ve got in me to get it done.”
On the influence of Comic Relief, Monger shared that being part of something is very important to him, as is helping to make a difference through the charity.
“Even though my first challenge was so hard – it was gruelling and took so much out of me – I just loved being a part of something that I knew was going to make such a difference.
“It’s what Comic Relief is all about and it’s why I’m back for more. I was lucky to meet people from projects supported by Comic Relief at the time, which was such an inspiration when you’re able to see how donations really do change people’s lives for the better.
“With every mile I cover, I’m hoping to raise as much as I can for those who need it most. To everyone supporting me and cheering me on, I’m so grateful. It really does mean the world.”
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