Hungarian ironman was injured during a race in Mexico

The 57-year-old athlete, also known as ‘Racemachine’, was hit by a car during a triathlon race in Leon, Mexico. Fortunately, he escaped with just some bruises, but his right leg and his recently operated knee were injured.

Ferenc Szőnyi is one of the best ultra-triathletes in Hungary and also in the world. He only started to compete in ultra-triathlons after the age of 40, but he achieved outstanding results from the very beginning. In 2000, Szőnyi set two new Hungarian Bike Records, completing a distance of 721 km in 24 hours and 1,000 km in 34 hours and 20 minutes.

He ran his first Ultra Marathon in 2007 and the next year, he competed in his first triathlon event in Duble Ironman Bonyhád, Hungary, placing 4th overall and finishing third in the 10X Deca Ironman in Mexico. He became the overall winner in the 2009 Deca Ironman World Championship in Monterrey (Mexico) and set a new record for the competition.

In 2017, he was the only runner to finish the 480-km-long Hell Race endurance race meandering through the Himalayan passes. Two years later, he became the only athlete in the world to complete the Double Deca Ironman − the equivalent of twenty Ironman races − twice.

However, during his latest ironman race, the 57-year-old Hungarian sports legend also had to face an unexpected challenge.