Paralympic medallist Mohamed Lahna has successfully launched his historic Triathlon Across America by completing a gruelling 28.5-mile swim around Manhattan Island. The adaptive endurance pioneer finished the opening aquatic stage in 7 hours, 44 minutes, and 58 seconds, navigating challenging currents and choppy waters before successfully passing under all 20 of the island’s bridges.

The three-time Paralympian, who was born without a right femur due to a rare congenital condition, completed the demanding swim wearing a specially customised wetsuit. His successful circumnavigation of the island marks the first phase of an unprecedented coast-to-coast journey, as he attempts to become the first athlete with a prosthesis to complete a triathlon across the United States in this format.

Following a brief rest, Lahna will transition to the cycling segment of the endurance event, embarking on an approximate 3,000-mile ride from Battery Park to Las Vegas. This punishing cross-country cycling route will take him through 16 states and feature more than 100,000 feet of elevation gain, before he concludes the monumental challenge with a 350-mile run from Nevada to Venice Beach in Los Angeles.

Beyond the immense physical demands of the 3,300-mile endeavour, the historic triathlon serves as a major fundraising campaign for two charitable organisations. The athlete is aiming to raise $250,000 for Save the Children, which funded his early education in Morocco, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which provided him with crucial support networks upon his relocation to the United States.