Blesma Member Martin breaks records in Antarctica

We are delighted to announce that yesterday, Blesma Member Martin Hewitt successfully reached the South Pole!

It took Martin, along with his guide Louis Rudd, 50 days to reach the South Pole. It means the former paratrooper, whose right arm was paralysed when he was shot in Afghanistan, is the first disabled person to reach the South Pole unsupported and unassisted from the edge of Antarctica.

The pair were forced to diverge from their original plan when Martin suffered a debilitating Achilles tendon injury. Despite the short break for medical attention at Union Glacier, Martin and Louis have skied more 650 kilometres in the last 50 days to reach their ultimate destination.

Completion of the Last Degree also means Martin's dream of becoming the first person with a disability to complete the Explorers Grand Slam remains very much alive. The pair will now rest for a few days before taking on the second part of the Adaptive Antarctica challenge - an ascent of Mount Vinson.

Don't forget, you can listen to all of the updates and continue to follow their progress as they move onto the second phase on the Adaptive Grand Slam website. 

If you want to learn more about Martin's heroic adventures, check out our article on how he flew the Blesma flag - on the worlds highest peak!