British Army Royal Engineer Micky Yule, 39, lost his legs after stepping on an IED in 2010.
A veteran with no experience challenged the five-time world skeleton champion at the dangerous winter sport and somehow won, despite racing without legs.
British Army Royal Engineer Micky Yule, 39, of Scotland, lost his legs after stepping on an IED in 2010.
After falling in love with what is known as the most dangerous winter sport, Yule, a father of two, became the first double amputee to take on the skeleton after deciding to try his hand at the sport.
To take it a step further, he also challenged world champion Martin Dukurs of Latvia to a race in Whistler, Canada, near Vancouver, where the 2010 Winter Olympics were held.
Remarkably, Yule beat Dukurs’ fastest run by 0.02 seconds.
"Sliding downhill, face scraping against the ice; you never feel more alive than when you're staring death in the face,” Yule told SWNS. “Trust me, I know."
Yule said the danger surrounding skeleton was what originally attracted him to the sport.
"The sport that always looked the most dangerous and fastest to me was always the skeleton," he explained. "Nobody is going to die running the 100 meter, but these guys on snow and ice, they risk their lives every single run."
He became a powerlifter shortly after losing his legs and worked up to competing in the Paralympics.
"I've always been a warrior — that's why I started watching sport,” Yule explained. “The Olympics and Paralympics inspired me to become a Paralympic powerlifter. You could say the Olympics saved my life.”
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