Jonty Warneken raced across the standard distance at AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Leeds and is planning to take on an Arctic ultra-marathon in March 2022.

Reflecting on his time at AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Leeds, Warneken said: “I really enjoyed the swim. That’s not really surprising as I spend a lot of time swimming in open water and it was great to swim at Roundhay where I haven’t swum before. I think the staggered start worked well as it avoided the usual washing machine effect, and maybe something to continue for those who aren't as experienced in open water/triathlon swimming.

“The bike course was full-on, and I liked the undulating nature of the course. Areas where I could rest my thighs and others where I could go full gas. It had some technical bits so a little for all.”

Reflecting on the run, he said: “The run was, is and always will be, literally, my Achilles heel. It’s all about pain management for me and accepting the suffering that comes with that. Just standing and walking any distance hurts, so doing anything more than that takes concentration.

“Having a short stump on my amputated left leg doesn’t help, and this is totally compounded by my right ankle which is pinned, arthritic and pretty much seized up now. I have very little flex in the ankle and it is always sore, so it’s a case of pain management for the run and playing the ankle off against the stump depending on which one is hurting more.”

AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Leeds shared a festival atmosphere that celebrated the sport of swim, bike, run, with Warneken saying: “The atmosphere was superb and the organisation exemplary. Everyone was very kind to me and my wife, who is my helper, and willingly adapted things to make life easier for us in transition which helped immensely.

“Everyone was so supportive and encouraging and welcoming. I don’t understand why more disabled people don’t get involved and this is something I would like to help change. My mantra is to ‘complete not compete’ and the satisfaction in completing the race is total, so the time it takes me is very much a secondary consideration.”

Warneken is entered into The Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra, a multi-day endurance race above the Arctic Circle. The race’s Yukon-based equivalent has been described as the world's coldest and toughest ultra-race.

Electing to take on the 185km distance, Warneken will begin his race in the small town of Överkalix before heading north and looping back towards the Swedish town. Warneken has opted to ski the distance.

“I believe that I am the first disabled person to ever compete in this event. We will travel on rivers, lakes and through forests. It will involve sleeping out in temperatures of -20c or colder and I have four days to complete the race.”

Warneken continued, saying: “I will also have to undertake an Arctic survival course before the start. Being the first disabled person to undertake any Montane Artic Ultra, it’s going to be a learning curve for us all. It will be interesting to see how my prosthetic leg holds up and hopefully the oils in it or the locking mechanism won’t freeze. If I am successful in completing the race, I would like to attempt the longer distances in the Yukon in future years,”

The Arctic Ultra isn’t Warneken’s next upcoming race though, with his sights set on an IRONMAN in Austria this September and a Channel Relay in July alongside his SwimyourSwim teammates. He also has a 70.3-mile race at Castle Howard on his busy race schedule.

“Once the IRONMAN is over, it will be rest for a few weeks and then I’ll start the build-up to the ice swimming season. I was the world’s first disabled person to swim the International Ice Swimming Association ‘Ice Mile’,” he said.

The Ice Mile is a one-mile swim through sub-5c water without a wetsuit. Warneken also sits on the International Board for Ice Swimming, saying: “I will be building up to the rearranged World Championships in Katowice, Poland at the start of February 2022, and we are hoping to hold a GB trials weekend later in 2021 for those interested in representing GB.”

Reflecting on his status as a sportsman with a disability, he said: “I find pretty much everyone involved in sport is willing to help, assist and advise anyone wanting to participate; so, my advice would be to just find something that piques your interest and then just ask if it is something that you would be able to participate in.

“Be honest about what you can and can’t do, but still aim high, and I will wager there will be plenty of people to help you achieve what you want to achieve. Surround yourself with people who say yes rather than no. Seek out people who have done extraordinary things and train with them if you can.”

He concluded by saying: “When extraordinary becomes the norm, it becomes more achievable in my opinion. I bet those extraordinary people will soon explain to you that what they do isn’t that special, and you can do it, and then of course it becomes less daunting. I hope that one day I can be one of those people. Or simply do what I do, forget or pretend you’re not disabled, sign up for crazy events, then worry about it once you’ve done that - it’s a great impetus to train.”