Video: Luke Wigman on his toughest test to date
A former soldier from Notts who was badly injured while on duty is now racing around active volcanoes in Chile.
Luke stood on an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan in 2011, badly damaging his left leg.
After spending two months recovering in hospital Luke was determined to continue running, despite having to learn to walk again.
Speaking on Sports Week, he said: “It took about eighteen months from stepping on the device to being physically active again, so there were a lot of struggles in the early days.
“I wanted to come out of it a winner, their job was to put me out the game but I wanted to come back better and stronger.”
It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done
The ex-paratrooper went on to win gold in the 1500m at the 2014 Invictus Games and his latest achievement has seen him win the Volcano Marathon in Chile.
He said: “It’s a tough marathon, 26 miles but the twist is you skirt around active volcanoes in Chile at fifteen thousand feet altitude.
“There is that complete lack of oxygen so you are out of breath and that is what makes it a challenge.
“Any little incline ruins you, there is a 6 mile part of the course where you are going uphill.
“I won, I think I finished thirty minutes ahead of second place and it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.”
Luke’s next challenge will see him attempt to run seven marathons across all seven continents in seven days as part of his work as an ambassador for The Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre.
For more from Luke, watch the November 23 episode of Sports Week on Notts TV at 7.30pm, or see our catch up service from 8pm, where the entire series is also available on demand.
