Three-time Paralympian Mohamed Lahna has completed one of the most incredible endurance challenges ever attempted after finishing his 3,300-mile triathlon across the United States in just 47 days.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallist crossed the finish line at Venice Beach in Los Angeles on Wednesday after swimming, cycling and running coast-to-coast in what is believed to be the first triathlon across America completed by an athlete using a prosthetic leg.

Lahna’s extraordinary journey began in New York on June 13 with the famous 20 Bridges swim around Manhattan Island. He covered 28.5 miles in 7:44:58 before setting off on a 3,000-mile bike ride through 16 states, climbing more than 100,000 feet on his way to Las Vegas.

‘Blisters, boils and constant pain’

From there came perhaps the toughest challenge of all – a 300-mile run through the blistering heat of the Mojave Desert to the Pacific Ocean.

It was this final stage that pushed Lahna to his absolute limits, with temperatures soaring into three figures as he tackled exposed roads, mountain trails and soft sand that placed relentless pressure on his prosthesis.

“The run through the Mojave Desert was incredibly tough,” he told TRI247 shortly after finishing his mammoth effort. “The heat was relentless, and running through soft sand with my prosthetic leg demanded an enormous amount of energy. 

“Every step shifted underneath me, and the pressure on my body and my residual limb was extremely difficult to manage. I battled blisters, boils and constant pain. There were times when we had to stop, treat the wounds, adjust the prosthesis and find a way to continue. 

‘I kept thinking about the children we are helping’

“Each morning, I knew the pain would still be there, but I also knew why I was doing this.”

“There were moments when my body was telling me to stop, but I kept thinking about the children and athletes we are trying to help. I kept thinking about the people who had donated, the team beside my family and me waiting at the finish. That gave me a reason to take the next step.”

Crossing the line on Venice Beach brought a mixture of relief, pride and gratitude.

“It’s a huge relief, and I’m feeling a lot of emotions at the same time,” he added. “I’m relieved that it’s over and that we finished successfully, without any accidents or injuries.

“I’m also very happy that something that started as a small idea came to fruition with the support of my crew, friends and family. They were with me from the time we started talking about this two years ago all the way to the finish line.

“I’m very proud of my support crew and the work they did over more than 50 days. I’m also proud of how my body was able to handle all of this and keep it together all the way to the end.”

Not just a sporting endurance challenge

For Lahna, the challenge was never simply about covering huge distances. Born in Morocco with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a rare congenital condition which left him without a right femur, he did not receive his first functional prosthesis until he was 20 years old. 

He only learnt to ride a bicycle at 25 before embarking on an extraordinary sporting career that has included Paralympic medals, more than 30 World Paratriathlon podiums, completing the Marathon des Sables, swimming the Strait of Gibraltar, racing the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona and becoming the first adaptive athlete to earn the coveted black T-shirt at the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.

The Triathlon Across America was designed to raise funds for two charities that helped shape his own life: Save the Children, which funded the school he attended growing up in Morocco, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which supported his sporting journey after moving to the United States.

“We have raised more than $166,000, which is incredible, but our goal is $250,000,” Lahna said. “I hope people will recognise what this challenge represents and give whatever they can. Every donation can help create opportunities for children and people with physical disabilities.”

Moments of doubt threatened the bid

Lahna admits there were moments when the enormity of the challenge threatened to overwhelm him. About two weeks into the bike ride, he looked at a map of the United States and realised he had completed only a quarter of the journey.

“It felt daunting, as though I would never be able to finish,” he said. His lowest point came during a brutal 50-mile stretch between Nevada and California. “It was over 100 degrees, my leg hurt, and the prosthesis hurt. I started asking myself, ‘What am I doing here? Why am I doing this?’

“My wife had prepared me for moments like that. She told me to remember my ‘why’. Raising funds for these two charities could change lives. When I thought about that, I had no choice but to keep going.”

While Lahna hopes to continue pushing towards his $250,000 fundraising target, his attention will soon turn back to elite competition.

He is targeting September’s World Triathlon Championship Finals before beginning the journey towards what he hopes will be one final Paralympic appearance at Los Angeles 2028 – and a return to the beach where he completed this incredible endurance feat.

Still a chance to support the cause

“I hope to show what is possible for people with disabilities, athletes with disabilities and everyone else,” he said. “I didn’t know whether I would finish this challenge. Failure was always a possibility, but I wasn’t afraid of it.

“I want people to know that many things are possible. Don’t be afraid of failure. Go for it and see where your body and mind can take you.

“LA28 is definitely on my radar. I need to return to the World Triathlon circuit and work my way up the rankings. Hopefully, in two years, I’ll be back here in Venice Beach – where we finished this triathlon – to compete in my final Paralympic Games. Hopefully.”

To help with Mohamed Lahna’s fundraising, you can click the link HERE.