Wounded IDF soldier completes Ironman contest with prosthethis
Boris Baruch Shtonda, 29 from Tel Aviv has also climbed Kilimanjaro twice, completed a swim across the Sea of Galilee and finished a half Ironman in Valencia, Spain
An IDF veteran who lost his right leg above the knee while fighting in Gaza has completed the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
Supported in his rehabilitation by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), Boris Baruch Shtonda, 29, of Tel Aviv, competed using a specialised running prosthesis custom-fitted for the race
The Hawaii Ironman is among the world’s most demanding endurance competitions, requiring athletes to complete a 3.8-kilometre (2.3 mile) swim, a 180-kilometre (112 miles) bike ride and a 42.2-kilometre (26 mile) marathon. Shtonda competed in the division for athletes with disabilities. He was supported in his journey to the competition by a donation from FIDF supporter Mike Hochstein of Dallas,
A veteran of the IDF’s Duvdevan special forces unit, Shtonda was in Japan on 7 October 2023, and immediately returned to Israel to join the reserves. A month later, he was severely wounded by an explosive device during combat in Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip. He underwent numerous surgeries before his right leg was amputated above the knee.
Since his injury, Shtonda has made athletic challenges a central part of his rehabilitation. He climbed Kilimanjaro twice, completed a swim across the Sea of Galilee and finished a half Ironman in Valencia, Spain, in April. He then set his sights on the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, training while working and pursuing a master’s degree. During that time, he also became a father.
After a year and a half of intensive training, he crossed the finish line in Kona.
Shtonda said: “I want to share a message with all wounded soldiers and anyone going through a rehabilitation process: you are your own compass. Sometimes, we have to be our own heroes and pull ourselves out of the predicaments we find ourselves in. Keep the faith, and always—always—believe in yourselves.”
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) helps wounded service members regain independence and return to everyday life through rehabilitation initiatives, sports and adventure activities and programmes focused on physical and mental resilience.
The organisation’s chief executive Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nadav Padan said: “Boris’s achievement reflects the determination wounded soldiers bring to the long process of rehabilitation. Recovery does not end when medical treatment is over. It takes continued support, opportunities to rebuild strength and confidence and the chance to set new goals.”
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