Israeli Reservist Who Lost a Leg in Gaza Finishes Ironman World Championship in Hawaii

An Israeli army veteran who lost his right leg in the Gaza war has finished the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Boris Baruch Shtonda completed the race on October 10, roughly three years after the injury that changed his life.

Shtonda took part in the division for athletes with disabilities. The event requires competitors to swim 3.8 kilometers, cycle 180 kilometers and then run a full marathon. He raced wearing a custom-fitted running prosthetic designed for the purpose.

He had been serving as a reservist in the IDF's Duvdevan unit after Hamas's October 7 massacre. About a month after his deployment, an explosive device severely wounded him in Beit Hanoun, a city in northern Gaza. After several surgeries, doctors amputated his right leg above the knee.

Shtonda made athletic challenges a central goal of his recovery. He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice, swum across the Sea of Galilee and finished a half Ironman race in Spain. He then decided to train for the full event in Hawaii.

The preparation took a year and a half and was backed by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). Among those supporting him was Mike Hochstein of Dallas, an FIDF supporter who met Shtonda during an FIDF bike ride through Israel last year. "His dedication, perseverance, and commitment to pushing his limits are truly inspiring," Hochstein said.

Shtonda dedicated the race to wounded soldiers and anyone going through rehabilitation. "You are your own compass," he said. "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."

FIDF says its support for Shtonda is part of wider work to help wounded IDF soldiers and their families. Its programs use rehabilitation, sports and adventure activities to build physical and mental resilience, with the aim of helping veterans regain independence, return to daily life and set new goals beyond initial medical treatment.

FIDF CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nadav Padan said the result reflects the determination wounded soldiers bring to long rehabilitation. "Recovery does not end when medical treatment is over," he said, adding that it requires continued support, chances to rebuild strength and confidence, and the opportunity to set new goals. He said FIDF supporters in the United States help wounded soldiers and their families through that process.