Rick Long from Baston continues to be successful in the strongest disabled man competitions and sidecar racing

A disabled weightlifter and sidecar racer is having a great 2019.

Rick Long, from Baston, finished second in the World’s Strongest Disabled Man in Canada last month and has also won seven out of seven rounds of the British F2 Sidecar Championship with team-mate Rob Fisher.

The 57 year-old, who works as a personal trainer at Bourne One Life Leisure Centre, said: “Things are going really well right now.

“I was awarded the title and given the gold medal at the World’s in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada but then the judges said they had to go back and check the timings on the television.

“After they had done that, they took it off me and gave me second place.

“I missed out by two seconds.

“Going into the last event, I was only one second off top so it was pretty gut-wrenching to be honest.

“I’d like to thank all the lovely people that helped me to get to Canada.”

Next up for Rick is Iceland’s Strongman during the last week of this month.

Away from the gym, Rick has been participating in the British F2 Sidecar Championship, a motorsport that has brought him great success and hardship which he has overcome.

Rick is the most successful sidecar passenger in the Isle of Man TT’s history with eight victories in total.

He lost his left leg in a 145 mph crash at the legendary Hockenhiem race track, Germany in 2008, that killed driver Steve Norbury.