Ex-Para from Oswestry who cheated death in 1,000ft fall becomes record breaking ultra runner

Superfit Jon Shield, 41, from Oswestry, is the first person ever to win all four of the world’s toughest races.

Jon has battled jungle, ice, mountains and desert, to become champion of the Beyond the Ultimate Global Race Series.

The gruelling races sees competitors attempt to run a total of 910km (565 miles) over four marathons set in the world's toughest environments.

Last month he won the Desert Ultra Marathon in Namibia after completing the 250km (155 miles) course in 27 hours and 39 minutes.

Jon has also won the Ice Ultra Marathon in the Swedish Arctic and just months later came first in the Jungle Ultra Marathon in Africa.

Last year he won the Mountain Ultra Marathon across the Tian Shan mountains in Asia in a near record time of 29 hours and 32 minutes.

Jon’s incredible feats of endurance came after a horror accident left him unable to run for seven years.

In 2013 while Jon was in the Parachute Regiment he undertook a 1,000ft parachute jump at night.

Complications on the landing meant Jon plummeted to the ground at high speed, smashing his ankle, knee and hip.

He had several surgeries but his injuries were so severe he was medically discharged months later.

Jon decided to retrain as a paramedic and it was while he started running to work he became obsessed with Ultra Marathons.

He said: “You always forget how difficult each race is as time goes on.

“You can do the most hideous of races and think never again, but then two days later you think you would do it again.