Billy Monger sets sights on 2028 Paralympic Games
Former racing driver Billy Monger said he has set his sights on the 2028 Paralympics after overcoming his Ironman challenge. Monger broke the Ironman record for a double amputee at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, last October.The 25-year-old, from Charlwood, Surrey, said he was now in "early-stage conversations" about competing at the Los Angeles Paralympics in three years.He said: "I know it's a few years away, LA, but it's definitely something I have in the forefront of my mind right now."
Monger said that being with British athletes when he was carrying out media work at last year's Paralympics in Paris had sparked his interest in the Games."Early-stage conversations are happening," he said."A lot of it comes down to me getting back into training and channelling my energy towards that goal."
Monger took more than two hours off the Ironman record, which he took part in for Comic Relief. He completed the 226.3km (140.6 miles) course in 14 hours 23 minutes 56 seconds.He was speaking to the BBC at the premier of a film documenting his achievement: Billy Monger: The Race Is On, for Comic Relief.Monger's legs were amputated after he was involved in a near-fatal crash while racing at Donington Park in 2017. He has since moved into broadcasting.
'Eye-opening'
In 2021, he raised £3m for Comic Relief with Billy's Big Challenge, when he walked, cycled and kayaked across England.One of his legs is amputated above the knee and the other below. His bike and prosthetics were modified to make riding and running more comfortable.Monger said that when he began training he struggled to run due to the pain from his prosthetics.He said: "Watching the documentary, it's eye-opening for me that I'd forgotten I couldn't even run 5k without being in pain."Now I'm watching later on in that hour-long documentary me doing the Ironman itself."
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