Darragh is king of the road...and sea...and bike!
BETTYSTOWN MAN ONE OF THE BEST IN TRIATHLON
2018 has been a great year for Irish triathlon star, 16-year-old leaving cert student Darragh Collins, who studies at Coláiste na hInse in Bettystown.
He has been doing triathlons for just a year and already he has secured the top spot in the National Series for Under 20s in this challenging sport. The event itself includes a gruelling 750m open water swim, 20km cycle and 5km run, completed in just over an hour.
Darragh had a tricky start to the year, as he was nursing a fractured fibula until March.
He trains 25 hours a week, getting up at 5:45am to squeeze in a swim before school. Then each evening he also fits in a cycle and a run. Over a typical week, he swims for 11 hours, cycles for 6 hours, runs for 5 hours and spends 2 hours in the gym.
Add showers, muscle care and eating (all that activity needs a lot of fuel!) and you’d be excused for wondering how he fits anything else into life!
Now the triathlon season is finished for the year however, Darragh will be focusing on his Leaving Certificate, as he has his eye on starting a Degree in the University of Limerick next year.
For 2019’s triathlon season, Darragh will be competing at the Super Series level… among the best handful of triathletes nationwide. Beyond that, this ambitious young athlete has Olympic dreams and has the tenacity and talent to achieve that.