The Ironman Triathlon is the hardest one-day endurance race in the world. The competition combines the usual elements of a triathlon; swimming, cycling and running, but on a much greater distance of 140 miles from start to finish.

Competitors are expected to complete 2.4 miles of swimming then 112 miles of cycling, finishing off with a 26.2 mile run. All of this must be completed in less than 16 hours and 50 minutes to allow the participant to call themselves an “Ironman finisher”.

Unsurprisingly, participants train incredibly hard before taking part with many beginning their intense training an average of seven months in advance of the competition. A typical week of training will involve seven miles of swimming, 200 miles of cycling and 30 miles of running, putting their bodies at peak physical fitness.

While injuries such as muscle strains, cramp, blisters, and bruises are common on such a gruelling course, there have also been a number of injuries at Ironman competitions which could have been avoidable.

Farleys are currently acting for several Ironman participants who took part in the Bolton competition and suffered serious injuries while entering the water from the jetty.

One claimant was a keen athlete who dedicated hours every week to increase their fitness levels. They even slept in an altitude mask prior to the competition to ensure they were fully prepared. Unfortunately their hopes of completing the famous triathlon were dashed early on when, while entering the water which was just 12-18 inches deep, they sustained injury to their right foot which included ligament damage and a metatarsal fracture.

Another claimant, who had dreams of qualifying for the World Championships in Hawaii, having narrowly missed out the previous year, also sustained injury on entry into the water from the jetty. They injured the soles of both feet meaning they were unable to continue in the competition.

With such a physically demanding course, the Ironman organisers should have ensured safety measures were in place to eliminate the risk of unnecessary injury and inform competitors of any precautions. On this occasion this didn’t happen thus making the organisers liable for injuries such as the ones described above.

Both claimants paid hundreds of pounds to enter the competition and were unable to continue after the first few minutes. They also had to take time out of doing the sports they loved while recovering from the injuries they sustained. As a result, Farleys’ personal injury solicitors are working hard to ensure they are fully compensated for what happened.

If you have also been injured during a competition such as Ironman due to insufficient safety procedures or faulty equipment, please contact our personal injury team on 0845 287 0939 or submit your enquiry online and one of the team with get in touch with you.