This weekend, we have members heading to Westport on Saturday for the Sprint/Standard Triathlon, but their minds do will be focused on what is happing in Valencia Spain. Club member Frank O’Connor will be racing in his age group representing LTC and IRELAND – a very proud moment for his family and club members. Frank will be doing the Sprint Distance on Saturday (8 am) & Standard Distance on Sunday (8 am Spain Time) at the European Triathlon Championships.
The Club took the proud step to Sponsor his IRELAND TRI-SUIT as he is the first member of the club to represent IRELAND. Frank qualified via his best 4 races, 1 of which had to be Olympic Standard, resulting in 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze, in the National Championships & BMW National Series Triathlon Ireland.
Frank was kind enough to send us a message from Valencia as he prepairs for this weekend:
“I am delighted & honored to represent Ireland in my age category & to be the first of my club to represent Ireland. After a cardiac stent, I joined LTC as a “Young fella” of 65 and was encouraged by the younger people who were supported and guided by many senior/founding club members to partake. I enjoyed the friendship & camaraderie of those of all abilities, who helped me along the way. The Saturady/Sunday cycles, support with my running (if you could call it that), the swimming, which I learned from scratch, but now I enjoy all year round… In summary, the health, joy & friendship of being part of a great crowd of people in Lanesboro Tri Club, without whom I would not be representing Ireland in Spain at the European Triathlon Championship Age Group.”
