Desi off to Australian Gold Coast

Desi off to Australian Gold Coast

29 August 2018

SAINTFIELD’S Desi McHenry will represent Ireland in the World Olympic Distance Triathlon Championship in Australian’s Gold Coast next month.

At 71 years of age, McHenry will be striding out with other triathletes who have been selected as the best in their age group in their home countries.   

And those age groupers are nothing short of competitive — Desi still achieves times in Triathlon which are nothing short of incredible for someone of his age. 

Originally from Portaferry, he competed in the Narrows Sprint Triathlon on August 17, swimming across the lough, cycling and running to finish the 900m swim, 21.5km bike and 5km run course in just over 1 hour 30.  He organised the original International Portaferry Triathlon in the early 1990s, and is fondly remembered by all at the Portaferry Triathlon Club, who honour him each year by giving him the number 1 at their meeting.

Until three years ago his distance of choice was the Ironman and half Ironman event, in which he holds five gold medals, many achieved in recent years. 

In the last four years he has achieved gold, silver and bronze in the Olympic distance, being the only Irish competitor to bring home a medal from the 2017 World Championships in Rotterdam.

He has competed in triathlon continuously for 37 years, travelling as far afield as Hawaii, USA, Italy, Portugal, and Mexico to name just a few, by the end of this year he will have completed his 300th triathlon. We wish him well for Australia.