Billy Monger shatters IRONMAN World record after double amputation
Alona Yadav | Mar 21, 2025, 21:31 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Billy Monger, a 25-year-old British athlete and double amputee, broke the world record for the fastest time to complete an IRONMAN competition. Overcoming immense physical challenges, he finished the 140.6-mile race in 14 hours, 23 minutes, and 56 seconds to raise money for Comic Relief.
In an extraordinary display of human resilience, Billy Monger has transformed a life-altering tragedy into triumph by breaking the world record for the fastest double amputee to complete an IRONMAN competition.
The 25-year-old British athlete completed the grueling 140.6-mile course at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii last October in just 14 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds—more than two hours faster than the previous record.
"The only time I ever actually think about my accident now, is in moments like when I crossed the finish line in Hawaii and I could call myself a world record holder," Monger told CNN Sports. "You think back to that moment and those dark times and I think it's just pride more than anything."
Monger's journey to this achievement began with devastation. At just 17, his promising racing career was derailed when he suffered a catastrophic collision during a Formula 4 race in England. The crash was so severe that footage remains difficult for his family to watch, and it resulted in the amputation of both his legs.
Rather than allowing this tragedy to define his limitations, Monger used it as motivation to push boundaries. His IRONMAN challenge involved a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle, and a full marathon—a formidable test for any athlete, let alone one competing with prosthetic legs.
Preparation for the event required a year of intensive training, with Monger facing unique challenges. Running placed immense pressure on his stumps, necessitating perfectly fitted prosthetics to prevent blisters and soreness. For cycling, he chose a standard pushbike rather than a handbike, requiring him to relearn basics like clipping in and out of pedals.
"You're aware of being a double-amputee throughout the whole process, like there's no getting away from it," Monger explained. "I'd say swimming was probably the most freeing of the three disciplines because swimming is actually about 80% upper body generated in terms of your speed and your efficiency."
The marathon portion proved especially challenging. Monger had never run that distance during training, and IRONMAN rules prohibit headphones, leaving him alone with his thoughts during the most grueling part of the competition.
"I think going through something that's so significant probably opened my mind up to the fact that most challenges that we face in our day-to-day lives, sometimes we big them up more than they actually are," he reflected. "Like things are doable and you can get through them."
When Monger finally crossed the finish line, he collapsed from exhaustion and emotion as his family and girlfriend rushed to his side. The achievement was not just for personal satisfaction—Monger undertook the challenge to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity fighting global poverty.
"I was basically my own car, I was my own engine, I was my own fuel, like it was slightly different to motor racing because I wasn't having to rely on other people for this challenge," he said. "The effort I put in was the result I got out."
Far from resting on his laurels, Monger is now setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, where he hopes to represent Great Britain in the para-triathlon. He's already had promising discussions with the British Paralympic team about qualification.
Throughout his journey, Monger remains committed to being a positive role model. "There's so many negative things going on in the world around us and it's hard sometimes to find a bit of positivity," he said. "So whatever I try to do, that's at the heart of it. This world record was positive for me and gave me a lot, but also knowing it was for others, that was a big fuel for the fire."
The 25-year-old British athlete completed the grueling 140.6-mile course at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii last October in just 14 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds—more than two hours faster than the previous record.
"The only time I ever actually think about my accident now, is in moments like when I crossed the finish line in Hawaii and I could call myself a world record holder," Monger told CNN Sports. "You think back to that moment and those dark times and I think it's just pride more than anything."
Monger's journey to this achievement began with devastation. At just 17, his promising racing career was derailed when he suffered a catastrophic collision during a Formula 4 race in England. The crash was so severe that footage remains difficult for his family to watch, and it resulted in the amputation of both his legs.
Rather than allowing this tragedy to define his limitations, Monger used it as motivation to push boundaries. His IRONMAN challenge involved a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle, and a full marathon—a formidable test for any athlete, let alone one competing with prosthetic legs.
Preparation for the event required a year of intensive training, with Monger facing unique challenges. Running placed immense pressure on his stumps, necessitating perfectly fitted prosthetics to prevent blisters and soreness. For cycling, he chose a standard pushbike rather than a handbike, requiring him to relearn basics like clipping in and out of pedals.
"You're aware of being a double-amputee throughout the whole process, like there's no getting away from it," Monger explained. "I'd say swimming was probably the most freeing of the three disciplines because swimming is actually about 80% upper body generated in terms of your speed and your efficiency."
The marathon portion proved especially challenging. Monger had never run that distance during training, and IRONMAN rules prohibit headphones, leaving him alone with his thoughts during the most grueling part of the competition.
"I think going through something that's so significant probably opened my mind up to the fact that most challenges that we face in our day-to-day lives, sometimes we big them up more than they actually are," he reflected. "Like things are doable and you can get through them."
When Monger finally crossed the finish line, he collapsed from exhaustion and emotion as his family and girlfriend rushed to his side. The achievement was not just for personal satisfaction—Monger undertook the challenge to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity fighting global poverty.
"I was basically my own car, I was my own engine, I was my own fuel, like it was slightly different to motor racing because I wasn't having to rely on other people for this challenge," he said. "The effort I put in was the result I got out."
Far from resting on his laurels, Monger is now setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, where he hopes to represent Great Britain in the para-triathlon. He's already had promising discussions with the British Paralympic team about qualification.
Throughout his journey, Monger remains committed to being a positive role model. "There's so many negative things going on in the world around us and it's hard sometimes to find a bit of positivity," he said. "So whatever I try to do, that's at the heart of it. This world record was positive for me and gave me a lot, but also knowing it was for others, that was a big fuel for the fire."