Mark Smith hasn’t let his injury hold him back (Picture: SWNS)

When Mark Smith had his right leg amputated in 2011, he thought his life was over. But then he found body building.

Mark Smith joined the army straight from school, and served in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Then in 2011, whilst preparing for his second tour of Afghanistan, he was hit during a live-firing exercise. The bullet severed his femoral artery, and three days later he had his right leg amputated.

With his army career over, Mark didn’t know where to turn. He explained: ‘I was lost after leaving the Army.’


‘Being in the Grenadiers was all I ever wanted to do, and my wife was saying I was miserable.’

Mark Smith (third left) pictured on the tour of Afghanistan before he lost his leg (Picture: SWNS)

Mark’s wife wasn’t the only person pushing him to rebuild his life.



Mark explained: ‘I didn’t want my two sons to go to school and have to say their dad used to be a soldier, living in the past.’

He went on: ‘I want to be a role model for them so they see me working hard and hopefully that attitude will rub off on them as they get older.’

Mark Smith with his son Ellis, four, and Ethan, two (Picture: SWNS)

Then one day Mark read about the Pure Elite tournament for disabled people, and inspiration hit.

He explained: ‘I’ve always been keen on fitness and just read about body building and this disabled competition, and entered without really thinking about it.’

Mark is in it to win it (Picture: SWNS)

Mark, never one to do things by halves, went for it full throttle. He started training 5 – 6 days a week, and lost three stone in six months, reducing his body fat from 17 to just eight per cent.

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And happily the hard work paid off. Mark explained: ‘Next thing I’m standing back stage in these trunks feeling quite exposed and wondering what on earth I was doing.’

Mark hasn’t let his prosthetic leg hold him back (Picture: SWNS)

He went on: ‘But my name was called out first and I got a standing ovation. It was incredible.’

Barry Le Grys, Chief executive of Blesma, a charity which supports servicemen who have have lost limbs in service, said: ‘Mark has done amazingly well and it demonstrates what can be achieved.

Mark’s wife Natalie has been there for him every step of the way (Picture: SWNS)

And Mark explained that the changes haven’t just been physical. He said: ‘My wife said it [winning his first competition] was the happiest I’ve looked since the injury.’

He went on: ‘I used to look back and wonder what I was missing from Army life, but now I have a purpose and can look forward.’

What an inspiration.

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