Kilmaley man qualifies for World Ironman

Australian resident Barry Lynch, a native of Inch, Kilmaley, will compete in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii later this year.

He has spent the last three years in training and recently won the Melbourne event.

Now aged 35, Barry was born in Inch but emigrated to Australia with his family in 1987. “We went for a year but it went to two, three and so on,” his father Donie told The Clare Champion this week having just returned from a six week visit to his family ‘down under’.

“I came back home in 2003 and have been living here since then. I went back for a visit and was there to see Barry win the Melbourne Ironman,” the former Kilmaley hurler explained.

Speaking from his Melbourne home this week, Barry reflected on his win in his age division.

“I got into ironman about three years ago and have been training for the event since to qualify for Hawaii. There are different ways of qualifying. I chose one of the hardest races outside Hawaii and I beat some really good athletes who have been placed in the top 40 in Hawaii,” he said.

Expressing his delight at having qualified for the world event, Barry said he was first in the 35 to 39 age group, the second amateur to finish and was 20th overall in Melbourne with a time of 8 hours and 14 minutes.

Barry trains up to 26 hours each week and works full time as a chemical engineer in the pharmaceutical industry.

Explaining that one needs “a strong support crew to enable you to train, eat and recover”, he paid tribute to his family. “I still live at home and my Mum cooks most of my meals,” he said, before hinting that he will consider going professional after Hawaii.

He previously trained under the late Jim Stynes from Dublin when he played for Victoria’s state GAA team.

The Ironman World Championship will take place in Kallua-Kona in October. The event will start with a 24mile swim, followed by a 112-mile cycle before turning to a 26.2-mile run.