Musselburgh soldier is first double amputee to take on skeleton run

Royal Engineer and double amputee Micky Yule opn his winning skeleton run, Picture: SWNS

A SOLDIER who lost both his legs in a bomb blast has become the first double amputee to take on the skeleton run - and he defeated the five-time world champion.

Royal Enginner Micky Yule, originally from Musselburgh, took up powerlifting after he lost his limbs stepping on a Taliban IED and become the first Brit to win an Invictus Games gold medal in 2016.

But the Paralympian wanted a new challenge and to defy a ban that prevents para sport athletes from taking on of the most dangerous winter sport - the skeleton.

The dad-of-two teamed up with experts for just four weeks to take on the fastest track in the world, in Whistler, Canada.

Micky Yule (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

And hurtling at speeds of more than 100mph an inch from the ice - facing 5G on the corners - he pitted himself against five times world skeleton champion Martins Dukurs.

Remarkably, he beat the Latvian skeleton racer and reigning champion by 0.02 seconds. He hurtled down the track using his huge muscly shoulders - rather than feet and legs - to steer the specially-made ‘tea tray’.

The win was screened on Slider shown on Quest on Wednesday night.

Speaking after his achievement, Micky said: “On the final run, I said, ‘This is the last time you’ll see me on a sled’ and I meant it.

Royal Engineer and double amputee Micky Yule on his winning skeleton run, Picture: SWNS

“That is the respect I have for Winter Sports.”

Paralympian Micky Yule wins Britain's first Invictus Games gold medal

He added: “I’ve always been a warrior. That’s why I started watching sport.

“The Olympics and Paralympics inspired me to become a Paralympic powerlifter. You could say the Olympics saved my life.

Royal Engineer and double amputee Micky Yule, Picture: SWNS

“There’s nothing like it - it’s the best battling against the best.

“But my favourite is the Winter Games. Nobody is going to die running the 100m, but these guys on snow and ice, they risk their lives every single run.

“The sport that always look the most dangerous and fastest to me was always the skeleton.

“Sliding downhill, face scraping against the ice; you never feel more alive than when you’re staring death in the face. Trust me, I know.”

Micky joined the Army when he was aged just 17 and rose the ranks to staff sergeant before he was injured in a roadside explosion in July 2010.

He was leading a high-risk search team on a foot patrol in Afghanistan, stood on a pressure pad IED and lost both legs beneath the knee.

He represented Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in powerlifting, before competing at the Rio Paralympics and winning gold at the 2016 Invictus Games.