Chalfont double amputee competes in the Red Bull 400

James Bertrand, who is a double amputee, visited the Scandinavian country earlier this month to participate in the competition, which sees adrenaline junkies run 400 metres up one of Europe’s steepest hills.

He had been training for the event for the last 12 months where he finished in a respectable 616th place out of nearly 1,500 runners.

James travelled to the event with his family (Image: James Bertrand)

He jokingly said that he beat around 900 people ‘with legs’.

Mr Bertrand explained: “Me and my twin brother Tom were born at 28 weeks (three months premature), weighing 2lbs 2oz & 2lbs 12oz, due to a condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

“With this condition, instead of getting 50/50 of everything in the womb that a baby needs to grow (blood, oxygen etcetera) one baby is overloaded and the other baby is deprived.

James with his girlfriend in Finland (Image: James Bertrand)

“Only 10 per cent of identical twins are born with this condition and this is only a 10 per cent survival rate.

“My brother, Tom, was the twin who was deprived and was almost at risk. 

“I was born overloaded with blood and developed blood clots in both my legs, meaning I lost my left leg at 18 months old.

“We were told that even if we survived at birth, we were most likely going to have brain damage, and cerebral palsy and most likely weren’t going to be able to go to mainstream schools.

“We went to infant school with each other up to graduating from university together.”

James finished 616th out of nearly 1,500 people (Image: James Bertrand)

Despite losing his left leg very early on in life, James continued to be ‘goal-driven’ as he didn’t want his disability to hold him back.

He opted to have his right leg amputated at the age of 20 in the search for a ‘pain-free life’, and just six years later, he opted to travel to the Finnish town of Lahti to take part in the race.

Speaking on his experience, he said: “My brother, mum, dad, girlfriend, and my brother's girlfriend all flew out, where I became the first double amputee to complete it [the Red Bull 400].

“It was something I've been training for the last year as I'm very, goal orientated.

“I set myself that goal in September last year and have been training ever since.

“Being proud of myself is an understatement, I just couldn’t believe what I had done.”

James completed the challenge in four minutes and 17 seconds, and despite not knowing where his next challenge lies, he aims to motivate those around him.

The event took place earlier this month (Image: James Bertrand)

The athlete, who works as a marketing manager for Just Eat, has also managed to raise £2,889 for a charity called LimbPower to help raise awareness for the challenges amputees and their families face before, during and after the process of becoming an amputee.

He also gives motivational speeches.

To donate to James’ LimbPower page, visit www.justgiving.com/page/james-bertrand-1715448510489.