Billy Monger could target Paralympics after tackling epic Comic Relief Ironman

Billy Monger admits he has caught the triathlon bug while training 20 hours a week to raise money for Comic Relief by completing the Kona Ironman in a world-record time

Billy Monger is in the midst of a gruelling training regime for one of the toughest physical challenges out there, but he’s already considering his next move.

Monger will soon embark upon the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, to raise money for Comic Relief. On October 26, the British racing driver will swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles and then run a full 26.2-mile marathon – all in aid of charity.

Back in 2021, Monger spent four days walking, kayaking and cycling 140 miles, raising £3.2million for Comic Relief. He enjoyed the challenge so much that, soon after crossing the finish line, he was considering the next one – and this time he’s going for a world record.

The 25-year-old is aiming to break the world record for the fastest double amputee to complete an Ironman. To do so he will need to complete the mammoth event in under 16 hours, 26 minutes and 59 seconds.

Monger’s life changed in April 2017 when he was involved in a serious crash at Donnington Park which caused both his legs to be amputated. He’s since become a presenter and well-liked TV personality, but has never lost that competitive edge which drew him to motorsport.

“Just having a competitive background – it is always me being against the clock,” he tells Mirror Sport. “The triathlon world isn’t too dissimilar from that – it’s still you against the clock and hard work in training, long days and long hours. Hopefully they’ll come through and benefit me on the start line.

“I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself, particularly after my accident. The day to day challenge of being an amputee and figuring out how to overcome daily obstacles. I feel like as a double amputee, it’s something that becomes a part of your DNA – you face certain challenges and you learn how to overcome them.

“This has been kind of like that but just taking it to the next level. I was very interested in getting to the stage of being so fit that I could break a world record as a double amputee.”

Monger has been training around 20 hours per week of late and on the day we speak he is about to do a 1hr 10-minute interval session on the bike followed by a 1hr 20 minutes in the pool. He has been training for a year and viewers of BBC programme Race Across the World will know just how difficult that can be for a double amputee.

In the programme, filmed in 2023, Billy and his sister Bonny travelled from Morocco to Norway, with Billy forced to battle on despite occasionally being troubled by his prosthetics, which made his legs sore. In that context, the idea of pounding the pavement for hours running, or clipping into a bike is even more remarkable.

Monger has special prosthetics for each event and being comfortable in them is absolutely essential for the challenge that awaits him in the heat and humidity of Hawaii. “Getting the prosthetics right has been a part of triathlon training for me which is very different from most other people have to deal with, because if the prosthetics don’t fit right it doesn’t matter how fit I am or how good I’m feeling, you can end up getting in a lot of discomfort and damaging the body, or taking days off training if things don’t go to plan,” he explains.

“Managing how the sockets fit me has been important and in the first few months of training, coming up with the right technology to allow me to cycle out on the road independently, and allow me to get all the training done by myself and to be safe while doing so has been a learning process. It’s not been straightforward.”

Monger was a part of Channel 4 ’s presenting team at the Paralympics in the summer and what he experienced in Paris was a huge source of inspiration. So much so that he could pursue one of triathlon’s three disciplines in the future?

“Who knows is the honest answer. At the minute my mind is only focused on Hawaii and Kona and going out there and delivering the best performance I can deliver. And then I’ll take a little bit of a break, there’s no doubt about that, but then who knows where it will lead. I’ve learnt a lot about the world of triathlon.

“Being out in Paris, I got to watch the para-triathlon and see incredible athletes in the same situation as me, going out there and delivering really amazing performances. It’s got me interested in that sort of world. I don’t know what that will lead to, but it’s definitely not out of the realms of possibility.”