Billy Monger Sets New Double Amputee Ironman Record at Kona World Championship

It was Billy’s dream to race in Formula 1 since he was eight years old, but this dream was cut short when two weeks before his 18th Birthday, Billy was involved in a horrific crash after colliding into a stationary car at 120mph during a Formula 4 race at Donington Park. Billy was left in a critical condition and whilst in a coma, the doctors took the decision to amputate both of Billy's legs, one above the knee and one below the knee.

Billy initially went to the NHS for his prosthetic provision before opting for Dorset Orthopaedic to provide his prosthetic rehabilitation. Initially, Billy attended the Ringwood clinic before moving to the Egham clinic when it opened in 2020, where he met his prosthetist, Steve Cox. Initially, Billy’s prosthetics journey began with standard devices, but as his ambitions grew, so did the complexity of the solutions.

Billy still wanted to race and with the help of his racing team, which modified his car, and Dorset Orthopaedic, he was able to get back behind the wheel. With his main goal ticked off and the ambition to now help others who face adversity, Billy set his sights on his first Comic Relief challenge in 2021 which included walking, cycling and kayaking 140 miles across England. In preparation for this challenge, adapted sockets were required for cycling and Billy got to try running blades for the first time. This was a monumental challenge for Comic Relief, raising an outstanding £3.2 million.

Since his injury, Billy has consistently pushed himself out of his comfort zone and flourished in his career, regularly commentating for Channel 4’s F1 and presenting for Channel 4 during the Paralympics this summer. To keep the Egham team on their toes, Billy set his sights on his toughest challenge yet, on Saturday 26th October he attempted to complete an Ironman at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii to raise further money for Comic Relief. The ironman included a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride and a marathon in intense humidity, torrential rain and strong crosswind.

The lead-up to Kona was an evolving process over a 10-month period, where Steve and the Egham team designed multiple custom-built limbs for cycling and running. Following Billy’s previous race, the cycle limbs were made lighter and allowed greater range of motion, as well as being fixed directly to the cleats on the pedals to optimise performance. To perfect the fit, Billy brought his bike equipped with a turbo trainer to the clinic, where adjustments were made on-site. Billy had previously run with a free flexing knee on his above knee side, but he felt it took too much concentration to use effectively. The team took the decision to remove the prosthetic knee, making the leg stable and light, they then took the decision to block his knee movement on the below knee side as he felt unbalanced and had repeated issues with his residual limb. By running with two straight legs, Billy achieved a more balanced and natural motion, resolving prior issues like residual limb breakdown and feeling uneven. Practice sessions at the Thames Valley running track helped fine-tune the designs further, making them race ready.

Steve Cox describes his relationship with Billy as an honest and collaborative one. Billy’s feedback and willingness to work as part of the team have been critical to their success. "It was an amazing experience working on this with Billy, his coaches, Comic relief and the Dorset team, without one part of the team, it all fails," Steve reflects.

A day before the Ironman event itself, the collaboration extended across borders. When a challenge arose, workshop technicians Mick and Dermot joined a video call with Billy’s coaches in Kona to provide remote support. Their efforts ensured that every component functioned seamlessly, and Billy smashed the 226.3km (140.6 miles) course in 14 hours 23 minutes 56 seconds, more than two hours inside the previous record. “That was a special day, and I’m so grateful for every single donation so

far which will give help to others the kind of support I’ve been so fortunate to receive in the darkest times!” Billy told Comic Relief.

Billy’s remarkable achievement at Kona is not where he stops. Now he’s preparing for his next adventures, including an upcoming appearance in Strictly Come Dancing’s Christmas Special! Be sure to tune in and a huge well done to the Egham team in playing apart in such a huge accomplishment.