Nicolas Lacambre, who lost a leg in a serious road accident in 2008, will participate in the Montauban marathon on Sunday, March 28th. Known as “Iron Man,” he is actively involved in various races to change society’s perception of disability and advocate for new rights.
Running to move forward and advance the rights of people with disabilities, Nicolas Lacambre will compete in the Montauban marathon on Sunday, March 29th. His individual achievement reflects collective ambitions. In 2025, after losing his left leg, he set a goal to run ten marathons with a clear idea in mind.
“I wanted to shine a light on disability so that social security would reimburse prosthetics for sports,” he said, adding, “I even had 12 but it wasn’t enough.” While everyday prosthetics are fully covered, those designed for sports still burden the patients financially. The price of a blade can range from 1,500 to over 5,000 euros, posing a financial obstacle in the fight against disability, which is a cause of mortality.
Through the associations he has established, Nicolas Lacambre advocates for making sports accessible to all, starting from a young age. His goal is to change the perception of disability and inspire others. “When people see me running, it makes them question things. They understand that you can have a disability and still achieve great things.”
Nicolas Lacambre, originally from Gironde, aims to demonstrate that “everyone can participate in these races.” However, unlike Montauban, very few competitions offer categories for disabled athletes today, and the organization of such categories is often neglected, as noted by Lacambre. The battle of the “Iron Man” is far from over.
