Strong showing for highly successful 40th Liam Ball Triathlon

Letterkenny’s Mark McGinley was the winner of the 40th edition of the Liam Ball Triathlon, held at Templemore Sports Complex yesterday.

Fresh from a strong performance in Majorca, McGinley threw down an early challenge of 30:10 on the bike in ferocious winds and sealed the win in just over an hour at the end of an outstanding performance.

IN PICTURES: Highly successful 40th Anniversary Liam Ball Triathlon and Try A Try 25

Hosted by Northwest Triathlon Club, the triathlon has always been a hugely important event over the years, and on this milestone edition, there were certainly some memorable showings, with McGinley not the only one to catch the eye.

NWTC had 50 athletes racing — a testament to the iconic nature of this local gem of a race, but there were many more individuals pulling together to ensure another successful day, from marshals, volunteers, supporters and families and friends. Race Director Joe Doherty made a special point of thanking all those volunteers who gave up their Sunday morning to make it all possible

The talented Evan Tosh, taking a break from GCSE revision, showed why he’s one to watch with the fastest run split of the day earned him a sensational second place, while Sean McLaughlin claimed third.

NWTC Coach Emmett Mullan, recently returned from Challenge Salou, was in fine form with a top swim and strong bike, chasing McLaughlin right to the line for 4th place.

In the Women’s Race, it was a proper Ding-Dong Battle between two athletes who aren’t officially NWTC members but are certainly part of the family, Anna McGinley and Orla McGandy, who put on an absolute thriller.

Orla, from Olympian TC, used her swim pedigree to open up a 2-minute lead out of the water, while Anna, a Derry girl now based in Galway, came roaring back on her new TT bike, clawing it back to just 20 seconds.

A slower T2 for Anna saw Orla head out onto the run nearly a minute ahead, but the chase was on. As the finish line came into view, all eyes were on the pathway. Orla emerged first, with Anna storming behind — a gap of just 6 seconds at the line. It was a superb showdown.

There were special presentations to Liam Ball legends Roisin Lynch, completing her 39th triathlon and Terry Donnelly, completing his 40th on a memorable day held in honour of one of the city’s most important sporting icons.