Mullingar"s Supermen and Wonder Woman

Ironman is one of sporting world"s greatest tests of stamina, strength, courage and fitness and this year four Mullingar athletes travelled to Austria to compete in this ultimate of international triathalons.The Ironman Austria Triathlon took place on Sunday in the lakeside sport paradise of Carinthia, 310km south of Vienna, between Italy and Slovenia, an area described by tourists as the Copacabana of the Alps. Among the athletes who travelled from all over the world to compete wereMidlands Tri club members Ken Whitelaw, Gerry Duffy, Dorothy Duffy, Brian Ivory and Seamus Bracken who, according to the clubs website, achieved overall positions of 579, 1114, 1723, 1910 and 1862 respectively.The competition comprises a 2.4 mile swim followed by an arduous 112 mile bike run and finishing with a 26.2 mile run. Ken Whitelaw completed the event just inside 11 hours with a time of 10 hours and 46 minutes. Popular local auctioneer and DJ Gerry Duffy finished in 11 hours and 42 minutes his sister Dorothy completed the event in 13 hours and 22 minutes. Brian Ivory finished in 14 hours and 35 minutes and Seamus Bracken completed in 14 hours and 4 minutes.Ironman Austria is in its 10th year and has built a reputation as a fast course. Anne Coleman, a spokesperson for the Midlands Tri Club spoke of her pride in their competitors at the 'Tri-to-beat cancer' event at Belvedere House.'Ironman is the ultimate test of fitness for a triathlete. The fact that four members of the club are out in Austria this year is a testament not just to their own personal commitment to the sport but this popular clubs growth and development within the Ironman branch of the sport.'