Israeli war veteran Boris Shtonda, who lost his right leg above the knee three years ago, has completed a 140-mile triathlon at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
Crossing the finishing line clutching an Israeli flag on Sunday, Shtonda, 29, repeatedly punched the air and screamed with delight.
He then unfurled the flag before draping it round his shoulders.
Shtonda, who was a member of the Israeli military’s elite Duvdevan unit, did it in 16 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds, becoming the first Israeli amputee to complete the race.
Boris Shtonda completes his Ironman challenge in Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN)Getty Images for IRONMAN
As he made it to the finish line, the race announcer told the crowd: "Boris Shtonda, you are an Ironman.
"You prove every day that anything is possible, crossing the finish line and representing Israel."
The 140.6-mile challenge involved him swimming for 2.4 miles, cycling for 112 miles and running for 26.22 miles.
He lost his leg in an explosion in November 2023 in Beit Hanoun, Gaza.
From losing his leg to crossing the Ironman finish line! 🏊♂️🚴♂️🏃♂️🇮🇱
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) October 12, 2026
After losing his leg during the Iron Swords war, Boris Shtonda went on to complete the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, USA, one of the toughest triathlons in the world.
He crossed the finish line waving the… pic.twitter.com/JylFyZa5kW
Four of his fellow soldiers died in the explosion and Shtonda dedicated finishing the challenge to them.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on its official X account: “This is what Israeli resilience looks like.”
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