A PARALYMPIC hero has announced his retirement from competitive swimming – and revealed an ambitious new challenge.

Lyndon Longhorne, 28, from Crook, County Durham, has touched hearts across the country with his epic achievements since he was struck by meningitis as a baby.

The disease led to the amputation of his right leg above the knee, his left leg below the knee, his right hand, and fingertips on his left hand.

Despite his disability, Lyndon became a star in the pool, breaking national records, being chosen to carry the Olympic torch through Bishop Auckland ahead of the 2012 Olympics, and achieving his dream of competing in the Paralympics when he was chosen to be part of Team GB in Tokyo in 2021.

He was hoping to be selected for the British Paralympic team again for Paris this summer but was left disappointed after his preparations were hampered by a shoulder injury.

However, he has now revealed that he is moving on to a new challenge – aiming to be the first quadruple amputee to complete an Ironman Triathlon in under 24 hours.

“I’ve been thinking about what comes next for a while now – and not making the team for Paris has accelerated my plans. It’s something new and I’m really excited by what’s ahead,” he said.

An Ironman Triathlon comprises a 2.4 mile swim in open water, a 112-mile bike ride, and a marathon over 26.2 miles.

Quadruple amputee Jamie Andrew completed an Ironman Triathlon in just over 24 hours in 2007, but Lyndon wants to go under that record.

He will be tackling the challenge in September 2025 with the support of a specialist research team from Liverpool John Moore University. He aims to raise between £20,000 and £25,000 for Meningitis Now and mental health charity, Andy’s Man Club.

He also needs to raise £10,000 to buy a special handbike and a wheelchair suited for the marathon distance.

“I’ve done a lot in my life – I’ve carried the Olympic torch, broken national records, competed in the Paralympics, and the World Championships. I’ve squeezed everything I possibly could out of my body – but I want to push myself even further,” he said.