Athletics

Subterms

    Latest story

    113 Shares28 Views

    How many people are running the London Marathon 2025?

    by

    THE London Marathon is officially the most popular marathon event on the planet.The 2025 iteration of the London Marathon has already broken records, and looks set to break another one before on Sunday.John Terry will run the London Marathon alongside Jody MorrisCredit: GettyAlex Yee will take part in the race, just under a year after winning gold in Paris at the OlympicsCredit: Adam Davy/PA WireRomesh Ranganathan is back for another year of racing in the London Marathon 2025Credit: AlamyFormer Chelsea captain John Terry is one of a number of ex-footballers running the marathon, a list including Jack Wilshere and Jody Morris. Olympic gold medallist and world triathlon champion Alex Yee will make his marathon debut, after winning a stunning gold in Paris last summer.YouTube fitness coach and TV presenter Joe Wicks will also be taking part in the London Marathon, returning for the first time since 2015, an experience he described as “one of the most painful I’ve ever had.”Read more London MarathonEilish McColgan is also making her marathon debut, and is aiming to set a Scottish record, and beating her mother Liz McColgan’s record and personal best of 2:26:52 from 1997.The route will see runners start at Greenwich Park and end on The Mall, running past Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace on their way to the finish line.How many people are running the London Marathon 2025?While there is not an exact figure, a record breaking 56,000+ are expected to run and finish the London Marathon. This would surpass the 55,646 finishers at the New York Marathon in 2024.Most read in AthleticsA world record 840,000 people entered the ballot for the London Marathon 2025, making it the most popular marathon on the planet. When does London Marathon 2025 start?There are four different start times to look out for on Sunday, April 27:8:50am BST – elite wheelchairs9:05am BST – elite women9:35am BST – elite men9:35am-11:30am BST – mass eventChina races robots in Beijing half marathonHow to watch London Marathon 2025 for FREELondon Marathon 2025 LIVE coverage comes on BBC One, with coverage between 8:30am and 2pm BST on Sunday, April 25. Coverage will switch from BBC One to BBC Two for an hour between 2pm and 3pm BST. The BBC iPlayer will also over different coverage options for friends and family members who want to tune in:
    8:45am – 3pm BST: uninterrupted coverage10:30am – 3:30pm BST: Tower Bridge camera12:30pm – 5pm: finishing-line cameraBBC Two will have a highlights show between 6pm – 7pm BST. More

    More stories

    • 100 Shares40 Views

      in Athletics

      Is Mo Farah running the London Marathon 2025?

      by

      THE London Marathon will take place this Sunday as thousands of people are set to take on the 26.2 mile course.The race’s popularity has hit new heights with 840,318 people applying via the public ballot to take part and over 56,000 expected to cross the start line.Mo Farah pictured at the finish line of the London Marathon in 2023Credit: AFPEmile Cairess (second right) was hoping to break Mo Farah’s British marathon recordCredit: PAThis could break the world record for the most runners in a marathon, the previous record being 56,950 in this month’s Paris edition.A stacked elite field will be fighting for the £41,000 London Marathon prize money, including the first man to break the two hour barrier, Eliud Kipchoge, and reigning Olympic champion Sifan Hassan.Last year’s top UK finisher Emile Cairess has had to pull out due to injury and will miss out on the opportunity to break Mo Farah’s British marathon record of 2:05:11.Is Mo Farah running the London Marathon 2025?Sir Mo Farah, 42, is NOT running the London Marathon this year.READ MORE ON LONDON MARATHONHe ran his last marathon in the 2023 edition of the race, finishing in ninth, and retired later that year after a fourth-placed finish in the Great North Run.His time of 2:10:28 was a few minutes outside of his goal time and the former Olympic champion admitted after the race that his body could not do what it used to.Farah said at the time: “If it wasn’t for the crowd, at some point I would have dropped out”That’s what kept me going. It was amazing support. Part of me wanted to cry. Most read in Athletics”But the people were amazing, even in the rain, to line the streets. It’s what has kept me going for so long throughout my career.”I will miss that feeling. I am emotional today. London has been so great to me over the years and I wanted to be here to say thank you to the crowd.”Farah’s best London Marathon finish was third in 2018 with a time of 2:06:21.Since retiring Farah has remained a big influence in the athletics world, last month launching team based-running league RunGP.Races will be held on Formula One tracks and include a mixture of celebrities and professional athletes.The first edition will be in Qatar in May and will include a kids race called One Mo Mile.When is the London Marathon taking place and how can I watch it?The London Marathon 2025 is taking place this Sunday from 8.50am BST.8.50am – Elite wheelchair men’s and women’s race9.05am – Elite women’s race9.35am – Elite men’s race followed by mass startThe London Marathon will be shown live on the BBC throughout the day.Read More on The SunBBC One: 8.30am-2pmBBC Two: 2pm-3pmBBC Online & iPlayer: 8.30am-6pmBBC Radio London: 8am-6pmBBC Two: 6pm-7pm (highlights)Alternatively, SunSport will live blog all the action from the Marathon as it happens. More

    • 188 Shares37 Views

      in Athletics

      Paula Radcliffe’s daughter, 18, running London Marathon as she lifts lid on ultra-rare cancer diagnosis

      by

      PAULA RADCLIFFE’S daughter is running the London Marathon after recovering from an ultra-rare cancer.Isla, 18, will take on the 26.2mile challenge on Sunday in what will be her first marathon.Paula Radcliffe’s daughter Isla [L] was diagnosed with cancer when she was 13Credit: Instagram @paula_radcliffeIsla will now follow in her mum’s marathon running footstepsCredit: AlamyIsla was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer five years ago when she was just 13.She has now recovered, and her mother, Radcliffe, opened up about the diagnosis.She told the Radio Times: “That’s when we knew something wasn’t right, and we went to the paediatrician.”It then moved very quickly.READ MORE ON SPORT”On the Tuesday she visited the doctor, we had a scan on the Wednesday and one week later we were already in the hospital starting the first round of chemo.”It’s the hardest thing a parent can go through.”You can support them and be with them the whole way through, but you can’t do that chemo for them.”It’s horrible to watch your child suffering through that, but at the same time we believed that if it felt bad, it was killing the cancer.”Most read in AthleticsRadcliffe, 51, is back running marathons and offers advice to runners of all levels.Her Paula’s Maratah Run Club podcast is sponsored by Children with Cancer UK.China races robots in Beijing half marathonWhat are the signs of ovarian cancer?Ovarian cancers affects the ovaries – the organs that store the eggs needed to make babies.It mostly affects women over the age of 50 and can sometimes run in families, according to the NHS.Symptoms of the cancer can be vague, particularly in its early stages, Cancer Research UK SAYS.The charity advises you speak to a GP if you have the following symptoms:Feeling full quicklyLoss of appetitePain in your abdomen or lower part of your abdomen that doesn’t go awayBloating or an increase in the size of your abdomenNeeding to wee more oftenTiredness that is unexplainedWeight loss that is unexplainedChanges in your bowel habit or symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, especially if this starts after the age of 50The NHS added that bleeding from the vagina after the menopause could be another possible symptom of ovarian cancer. That is the charity that Isla is raising money and awareness for when she runs across the nation’s capital city.Radcliffe, who was world marathon champion in 2005 and won London three times, retired from professional racing in April 2015.She also revealed that she asked her gynaecologist if she could freeze her own eggs if Isla was left infertile from her cancer.She added: “He just looked at me and said, ‘Look, she isn’t going to want your 47-year-old eggs’.”When she lost her hair, I said I would cut my hair off and get it made into a wig for her. She flat-out refused that.”We’d not told many people at the time, and she didn’t want people asking why I’d done it.”There are things you’re not ready for – either going through it or as a parent.”She doesn’t know how it has affected her chances of becoming a parent.”She now has a tendency under stress to get allergic reactions on her skin, and we don’t know whether that’s linked to the treatment.”Radcliffe also has a son Raphael, 14, with husband Gary Lough.She has insisted that he has a promising career as a runner himself, as he is showing plenty of talent.And the Team GB icon also praised the teenager for how he was with Isla during her cancer battle.She said: “There was a huge amount of mother’s guilt for the fact that you have to focus more on one child for that period of time.”He’s (Raphael) extremely empathetic, probably in a way that most 14-year-old boys are not, right now.”I hope he doesn’t lose that because it’s really special.Read More on The Sun”He’d even let Isla sit and curl his hair when she had no hair to curl, the only proviso being that he would brush it before he went out anywhere.”He spent a lot of time with her and worrying about her, and they have a closer bond because of that.”Radcliffe won seven major marathons during her pro running careerCredit: AP:Associated Press More

    • 263 Shares62 Views

      in Athletics

      ‘This is not even fair’ – Olympic legend and third fastest woman of all time DEMOLISHES parents at school sports day

      by

      OLYMPIC legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce brilliantly demolished the field as she took part in a parents’ race.The Jamaican icon won 100m Olympic golds in the Beijing and London Games.Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce demolished the field at a local sports dayCredit: INSTAGRAM @_suediamondFraser-Pryce, 38, is one of the greatest sprinters of all timeCredit: ReutersFraser-Pryce remains the third-fastest woman of all time, having recorded a 10.6 second 100m dash.Now 38, the sprint star remains incredibly quick.Attending her seven-year-old son Zyon’s sports day, Fraser-Pryce had no qualms about leaving the other racers in her wake.Remarkable footage shows the eight-time Olympic medalist speeding away from the modest competition.READ MORE IN SPORTResponding to the clip, one fan wrote: “This is not even fair.”While a second gushed: “How cool is that!”And another added: “She had to do that, would be a shame to waste the talent.”This was not the first time that Fraser-Pryce has competed at her son’s sports day.Most read in AthleticsBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKAmazing footage also surfaced of her demolishing the field in 2023.Fraser-Pryce has continued to compete following Zyon’s birth in 2017.Video of Olympic sprint legend joining in parents’ race at her boy’s school sports day emergesShe won silver in the 100m sprint at Tokyo 2020, while also taking home gold in the 4x100m relay.The Team Jamaica legend competed at Paris 2024, in what she confirmed would be her final Games.Having come second in her heat, Fraser-Pryce was forced to withdraw from her semi-final due to injury.Last week, Fraser-Pryce posted a minute-long Instagram video with some of her brilliant highlights.She captioned the post: “Time will honor your greatness – 2025.”While the clip finished with the phrase: “Unfinished business.”Per NBC Sports, 2025 is set to be Fraser-Pryce’s final season.Fraser-Pryce is a Jamaican sprinting legendCredit: Getty More

    • 263 Shares82 Views

      in Athletics

      ‘Next Usain Bolt’ Gout Gout, 17, runs blistering sub-10sec 100m twice in same day and admits he could have gone FASTER

      by

      SPRINT prodigy Gout Gout has been dubbed the ‘next Usain Bolt’ after breaking the 10-second barrier in the 100m twice on the same day.The 17-year-old, who had never dipped under the mark before, clocked 9.99 seconds in the under-20 100m heat before recording the same time in the final at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth on Thursday.Gout Gout clocked 9.99 seconds in the U20 100m heat and final during the 2025 Australian Athletics Championships in PerthCredit: X @7SportThe teen has been dubbed the next ‘Usain Bolt’ after another astonishing eventCredit: ReutersGout even mimicked Bolt’s arms-out celebration when he crossed the line as the winner and became the third Australian to run the 100m in less than 10 seconds.But neither of his 99.9 times will be formally recorded as his official personal bests due to illegal tailwinds.Gout’s time in the heat was assisted by a 3.5m/s tailwind while his final time was helped by a 2.6m/s tailwind.But the fact the Queensland teenager posted his 9.99 run despite easing up at the end showcased his crazy potential.READ MORE SPORT NEWSTo put Gout’s time into context, Bolt, who holds the world record for the fastest 100m ever with a time of 9.58, had a PB of 10.03 until the age of 21.Gout said he felt “pretty good” after the final, and that he wasn’t upset by the conditions that prevented him setting a new personal best.He said: “Sometimes it’s frustrating, but you know, you can’t control what you can’t control, and the wind is obviously a thing you can’t control, you’ve got to learn how to run with it or run against it.”The Australian 100m record was set by Patrick Johnson in 2003, with a time of 9.93 seconds. Most read in AthleticsCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSGoing under 10 seconds for the first time is the latest achievement in Gout’s promising young career, which began getting global attention after he ran the 100m in 10.57 seconds as a 14-year-old in 2022.Considered as one of the fastest teenagers in the world, Gout has already drawn comparisons with the greatest sprinter of all time in Bolt.Sprint sensation Gout Gout dubbed next Usain Bolt becomes fastest 16-year-old EVER and shatters Australian recordLike Bolt often used to do, Gout didn’t have the best start in the final but quickly raced away from his rivals. He entered Perth on Thursday with a personal best of 10.04s, which also wasn’t an official time due to the wind on that day either.World Indoor 60m silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy is also aiming to crack the 10-second barrier in the 100m this week.The 21-year-old is competing in the open field for the 100m on Friday and Saturday, meaning he won’t go head-to-head with Gout over that distance this week.But the pair will lock horns on Sunday when they line up in the 200m men’s event. Gout broke Peter Norman’s 56-year-old Australian 200m record late last year when he clocked in at 20.04 seconds.That was a time faster than what Bolt ran at the same age (20.13).But Kennedy has bragging rights over the rising star after beating Gout last month in the 200m at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.Read More on The SunGout was born in Queensland, Australia to parents from South Sudan.His parents moved to Australia two years before he was born.Lachlan Kennedy is also aiming to crack the 10-second barrier in the 100m this weekCredit: AFP More

    • 188 Shares164 Views

      in Athletics

      Who is Daley Thompson’s first wife Patricia Quinlan and how many children did they have?

      by

      DALEY Thompson was once notorious for his womanising, before he went on to marry his childhood sweetheart Patricia Quinlan.She is sure to be watching when the Olympic decathlon legend heads into the Celebrity Big Brother house, with the new series kicking off on April 7, 2025.Daley Thompson and his first wife Patricia Quinlan pictured on their wedding day in 1987Credit: RexHere they are seen a year after tying the knot, pictured with their first baby togetherCredit: RexDaley Thompson is featuring on Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) 2025.During his athletics career, the British decathlete broke the world record four times — and it seems he’s ready for a new challenge.A source told The Sun how 66-year-old Daley’s non-woke opinions could raise a few eyebrows among CBB viewers.The TV insider said: “Daley is notoriously unwoke and likes to be provocative, so it will be interesting to see how he is received by some of the younger housemates.read more on daley thompson”As someone who was at the height of his fame in the Eighties, many of them will barely know who he is — but for a generation of older viewers he’ll be seen as a great signing.”Who is Daley Thompson’s first wife Patricia Quinlan?Daley once joked that “any woman only has to sit on a bed I’ve slept in to get pregnant”.His exes include Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies — they dated in the late 1970s — but he says he doesn’t see her as the “one that got away”. In July 2024, he exclusively told The Sun: “I never really see it like that because we are still close friends.”Most read in Athletics”That’s the real test — the fact we’re still calling each other and I chat to her kids.” In 1987, Daley married his first wife, Patricia “Tish” Quinlan, whom he had known since his school days.Lord Sebastian Coe and Daley Thompson discuss how athletics can be used to tackle knife crime on Run For Your Life But she has largely stayed out of the public eye beyond her connection to Daley. How many kids does Daley Thompson share with Patricia Quinlan?They had three children together: Rachel, 35, Austin, 33, and Elliott, 30.Rachel was born prematurely at just 12 weeks and weighed less than two pounds at birth.But speaking with the Independent in July 2008, Daley described this as “a brilliant experience”.He then qualified: “But not one you’d necessarily want to go through.”Daley Thompson with son his Elliot, who is also a decathleteCredit: Instagram/daleyfitnessukElliott Thompson, the youngest child of Daley and Patricia, has followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in athletics.He became the national decathlon champion at the 2022 British Athletics Championships.On the whole, the Thompson children prefer to keep their personal information out of the public domain, so little else is known about them.Next chapterThe marriage eventually ended in 2001 after Daley began a relationship with Lisa Clayton.Read More on The SunHe had been seeing her for over two years while still married to Tish, with their relationship reportedly starting in 1999.Daley also later had children with Lisa — two boys named Alex and Aaron. More

    • 225 Shares109 Views

      in Athletics

      ‘He’d beat me until I was sick’ – Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s troubling first day in court facing his father

      by

      JAKOB INGEBRIGTSEN accused his father of sickening emotional and physical abuse during a harrowing first day in court.The two-time Olympic gold medallist, 24, claims that his father and former coach, Gjert, “controlled” him and his siblings.Jakob Ingrebrigtsen sits alongside his lawyer on day one of the trialCredit: AFPIngrebrigtsen, 24, has made a series of allegations against his fatherCredit: AlamyIngebrigtsen alleges that his father assaulted him several times during his childhood, and that the emotional toll of the abuse has affected him in his adult life.The middle and long-distance runner referred to his father “as the defendant” during day one of the trial – claiming his actions were “not worthy” of being called a father.Gjert, 59, denies the allegations.Recalling getting in trouble at school aged “seven or eight”, Ingebrigtsen told the courtroom in Sandnes, Norway: “I’m just standing in the kitchen and looking down at the ground.READ MORE IN SPORT”The defendant is standing over me and screaming at me. He hits me several times on the top of the head.”I try to protect myself from violence, before he takes my hands and puts them down on my side… to continue hitting me in the head.”I remember freezing and wanting it to be over. I was just paralysed.”On another alleged incident at a hotel, Ingebrigtsen added: “If I didn’t do as he did, he would come and shame me and beat me until I was sick.”Most read in AthleticsGjert Ingebrigtsen, who denies assaulting his children, in a courtroom sketchCredit: APJakob Ingrebrigtsen is a two-time Olympic gold medallistCredit: PAIt was also claimed that Gjert threatened to beat his son “to death” during an argument in a car.Ingebrigtsen has six siblings; Henrik, Filip, Kristoffer, Martin, Ingrid, and William.I was a reality TV star dubbed the ‘cardio Kim Kardashian’ – now I’m making my own way and targeting Olympic goldJakob, Henrik and Filip have gone to become professional athletes, with the family’s journey detailed in the documentary series “Team Ingebrigtsen” between 2016 and 2021.The trio split with their father as coach in 2022, and the following year made allegations against him public.During day one of the trial, Jakob claimed that they decided to do so in order to protect younger sister Ingrid, 19.He said: “The motive is to look after and help her as best we can, and take care of ourselves.”Try to get out of the difficult situations and the lives we have had. I can’t think of any other motives than that.”‘SABOTAGE’Ingebrigtsen claimed that he had witnessed Ingrid being struck in the face with a wet towel in 2022 for not wanting to become a professional athlete like her older brothers.It was alleged that Gjert threatened to “sabotage” his sons careers when they split with him as coach three years ago.Asked about the toll of his father’s behaviour by the prosecutor, Ingebrigtsen said: “I definitely think it affected the way I was able to be a child.”I always looked over my shoulder and thought about the possible consequences of what I did.When I got a girlfriend and wife, it was difficult to have a life togetherJakob Ingebrigtsen”As a teenager, I realised that the less I did, the safer I was. I became very conscious about showing emotions and ended up not doing it. To protect myself.”I now struggle a lot with letting people in and trusting me. When I got a girlfriend and wife, it was difficult to have a life together.”You have to show feelings and be there for each other. Be a person who contributes to the family. It’s difficult when I’ve lived a life with a lot of stress.”Ingebrigtsen is married to childhood sweetheart Elisabeth Asserson.When they wanted to move in together aged 18, Jakob claims that his father called them “terrorists”.Gjert did not attend their wedding in 2023, although their mother Tone was present.’CHARACTERISED BY FEAR’On how he was raised, Ingebrigtsen said: “My upbringing was very much characterised by fear.”Everything was controlled and decided for me. There was an enormous amount of manipulation.”As a teenager I felt I had no free will or say in anything.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe trial is expected to last around two months.Gjert is scheduled to give evidence next week. More

    • 213 Shares149 Views

      in Athletics

      BBC reporter comforts British sprinter as he chokes back tears in live TV interview after winning gold

      by

      SPEED KING Jeremiah Azu was close to tears as he became Britain’s 13th male world champion indoors.Thirteen days after he won gold at the Europeans, the Welshman sprinted to glory over 60 metres on day one of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing.Jermiah Azu gave an emotional victory to the BBCAzu, 23, had just produced an incredible performanceInitially it flashed up that he was second behind Australian Lachlan Kennedy in a dramatic photo finish.But then the scoreboard placed him first, thanks to his late dip, as he equalled his personal best time of 6.49 seconds, which had been set in Apeldoorn earlier this month.Holland-born Azu ran around the track in celebration and then spoke about his emotions during a whirlwind few weeks that had also seen him become a father for the first time.The 23-year-old – who won by a margin of 0.01 seconds from Kennedy – said: “I knew I could win it.READ MORE IN SPORT“It’s history to be a European and world champion in the same year. I’m excited for the future.“I said at the Europeans, I want to take over the world. This is just the start of our journey.“The plan is to keep on winning. This gives me massive confidence. The sky isn’t the limit – there’s way, way more than that. Let’s see what the summer brings – I’m excited for it.”Azu, who relocated from Italy to Wales after the Paris Olympics, is the fourth British man to win this sprint crown, following Jason Gardener (2004), Dwain Chambers (2010) and Richard Kilty (2014).Most read in AthleticsBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSAzu won in a dramatic photo finishCredit: RexThe British star proudly holds up the GB flagCredit: RexHe said: “I was a bit emotional before the final with my coach. The last few years have been very difficult for me and this morning I was thinking about it and reflecting.“It’s so important to surround yourself with people that believe in you and who care about you. If I came last, they would be the same. That’s huge for me.Athlete disqualified for shameful act just centimetres from finish line that sparked fury “It’s been huge to move back to Cardiff. Family is everything to me. I sacrificed that for the last two years.“Being back with my family, having that support team around me, is huge.”They allow me to believe in myself and that’s something you can’t teach. It’s so important to success.”Britain’s 1500 metres runners Georgia Hunter Bell and Neil Gourley, the squad captain, and Amber Anning in the 400 metres all qualified fastest from their respective heats. More

    • 288 Shares179 Views

      in Athletics

      I refused to let horror car crash that took my legs ruin me – now I’m world record holder, says Strictly’s Billy Monger

      by

      “BILLY MONGER . . . you are an Ironman.”Those words are still sinking in for a 25-year-old who has already beaten all odds to become a world-record holder.Billy Monger is a double-amputee after a shocking Formula 4 racing accident weeks before his 18th birthdayCredit: Simon JonesBilly training for the Ironman’s 112-mile bike ride across volcanic terrainCredit: Daniel Loveday/Comic ReliefThat’s a world-record holder in triathlon’s most gruelling event, the Kona Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.A 2.4-mile swim in jellyfish and shark-infested waters.A 112-mile bike ride in treacherous crosswinds across volcanic terrain. Then a marathon, 26.2miles of running.And, in case you hadn’t noticed, Billy is a double-amputee after losing one leg just below the knee and the other above the knee in a shocking Formula 4 racing accident weeks before his 18th birthday.Read more on Billy MongerBut his time of 14 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds smashed the world record for a double amputee by more than TWO HOURS.So was that drive always there, or was it his accident that changed him?Billy, who was raising money for Comic Relief, says: “I remember after my accident being like, ‘I’m the same 17, 18-year-old kid that I always was, wanting to be a Formula One world champion’.“There’s no getting away from it, that does affect things. You do have to grow up quicker.Most read in Athletics“Learning to deal with that adversity all of a sudden, other adversity you face in your life doesn’t seem that daunting.”So the jellyfish stings suffered on the swim are now something you just brush off?Cheryl praises inspirational racer Billy Monger’s fundraising in rare TV appearance“Yeah, well, that is what it is really!”In the brilliant film of his year of training, Billy can even joke with his coaches about sharks not being interested in him as they’d be better off chasing someone with legs.I don’t think Billy looks at things in a “normal” way, but that’s probably because he’s not normal. And that’s far from an insult and nothing to do with him being an amputee.He adds: “Because of the accident, I’m more curious about what I’m still capable of.“I don’t want to go, ‘Oh well, this bad thing happened to me, so I’m just gonna feel negative about it’.‘About to pass out’“If I did that, it’s quite obvious what my life would look like and I didn’t really fancy a piece of that.”Instead, he fancied a piece of Hawaii — not grass-skirts and sunshine but 14-plus hours of endurance racing.He says: “It’s seen to be the hardest Ironman, so looking back, I was a bit nuts for signing up.”Because of the accident, I’m more curious about what I’m still capable ofBillyHe had done only “a bit of doggy-paddle for rehab” and had not run more than 5km without pain before the training started.It is normally a four-year plan for an Ironman. Billy did it in one.His journey before is just as remarkable.Billy had been on the road to F1 as a prodigiously talented and dedicated karting racer before the horror crash at Donington Park in 2017.Billy put in hundreds of hours of trainingCredit: 2024 Comic ReliefBilly in 2017 after his horror crash at Donington ParkCredit: Rex FeaturesBut since then he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing’s Christmas special, BBC’s Race Across The World and covers F1 for Channel 4.Billy’s previous Comic Relief challenge, a 140-mile walking, kayaking and cycling trip across the UK in 2021, raised £3.2million.But an Ironman? Kona?!“Mad, isn’t it?” he says, reflecting on going from learning to walk as a double amputee to competing in a world championship triathlon. “But one step at a time.”His steps included needing four different sets of prosthetics, “eight spare legs”.Modest as well, he even blushes when you compliment him.But there is such a steely determination in his eyes, perhaps he always knew he would complete it?“No way,” he says. “I feared not getting across that line plenty of times.Get to race day knowing you’ve done all you can. Be the best version of yourself and that’s all that mattersBilly“To train for something like that, you have to shape every decision around your training.”Billy did the vast majority of his hundreds of hours of training alone and stump health was a serious concern, despite having a prosthetics specialist on hand.Put simply, sores and blisters from pressure and rubbing on his legs could put him back in a wheelchair for weeks, meaning no chance of getting to Kona.Even after all the hundreds of hours’ training, there were still doubts during the event.He says: “My body was doing things that I’d never seen it do before. Then you see someone passed out on the side of the road and it just adds to that anticipation.“The shaking, the ‘Am I about to pass out here?’.”But after a year dedicated to helping others, he wasn’t about to quit.He adds: “I didn’t want to let other people down.“The message was, get to race day knowing you’ve done all you can. Be the best version of yourself and that’s all that matters.”Billy barely remembers the moment the PA announcer screamed “You are an Ironman” at the finish, seconds before he collapsed into the hoardings.Fuel for the fire“But he can now watch it back time and time again as he is forever an Ironman. The Iron Monger, if you will.But Billy still doesn’t feel like this challenge is complete as it is all to raise money for Comic Relief and the community projects the charity supports, such as running clubs, food banks and care centres that Billy visited during his epic year.I ask if it has sunk in, what he and his family have achieved?He replies: “In ways it has, but in ways it hasn’t.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Comic Relief and Red Nose Day on Friday was the fuel for the fire, so it feels like the job is only half done.” More