‘It will be a very proud moment': Father and daughter to represent Ireland at multisport championships
Eddie (54) and his daughter Lily-Mai (18) are gearing up to represent Ireland in the aquathlon — which consists of continuous run and swim elements — at the 2025 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, later this month.
The Burtons qualified to represent Ireland with strong performances in their respective age groups last season after remarkable comebacks to multisport.
With her impressive progress in youth triathlon halted during the Covid pandemic, Thornhill College student Lily-Mai marked her return with a storming victory in the Aquathlon National Championships in Galway (16-17 female) last year.
Eddie, a seasoned athlete, who once raced against Olympians Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Ian Hammer, has made an impressive transition to the triathlon over the past 10 years, following seven knee surgeries.
Despite an Achilles tear and tendonitis last year, the two-time Aquathlon National Champion is relishing the trip to Spain, having placed in the top 10 in his age group at the 2022 World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships in Slovakia.
Competing in the sprint event, which involves a 1km swim followed by a 5km run, will mean 'so much more this time around', says Eddie, a teacher at St Therese's Primary School.
'This time, it will be extra special. It's been a fantastic journey for us — to train together, compete together, and now to represent Ireland together as father and daughter.
'Personally, it will be a very proud moment for me, and a tremendous experience for Lily-Mai.
'It's not just the two of us who have been on this wonderful journey — the whole family has been involved in the process.
'My wife, Caroline, who is also a teacher, and the girls Lauren (21) and Annie (12) have been such great support. We're all in it together and that has been a real boost.
'Pontevedra is a lovely part of the world and I thought: 'I really want her to experience it.' This year there [will be] 3,000 athletes there.
'I just wanted to be immersed in that, because she's going to uni now and I'd really like her to carry it on and to think: 'I really enjoyed that.'
'As a dad, it's about memories, and it will be a great experience.'
Lily-Mai will complete her A-levels in biology, chemistry and maths just a week before the event and 'can't wait to celebrate' by competing alongside her dad.
'It's been so lovely to train with my dad to compete in the same event,' she said.
'At times the training has been hard, especially with the additional stress of exams, but the event is just a week after my last exam, so it will be a great way to round off all the hard work.'
Lily-Mai, who works part-time as a lifeguard at Foyle Arena, plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering at Ulster University in Belfast next year.
She competes for both Thornhill College and City of Derry Spartans in cross-country and athletics. Her teams have been district champions multiple times and Ulster cross-country champions on two occasions. They recently placed just outside the medals at the All-Ireland Cross-Country Championships.
Last year marked Lily-Mai's return to multisport, and it's been nothing short of remarkable.
In March, she competed in an aquathlon alongside her little sister, Annie, before participating in the Liam Ball Triathlon alongside her dad in May, and then winning gold in the National Aquathlon Championships in the same month.
News Catch Up - Tuesday 17th June
Eddie, who spoke of his disappointment when talented children he's taught at school don't nurture their sporting abilities when they transition from primary to secondary school, said he'd like to see Lily-Mai retain her interest when she goes to university. He believes it gives all young people 'discipline and routine', as well as benefiting their physical and mental health.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- Belfast Telegraph
How Armagh star is bringing a real sense of perspective into her side's bid to taste All-Ireland glory
You see lots of teachers. Not many self-employed. Few working in jobs with shift work at their core. Nursing is one of the worthiest professions there is, but its long hours, night work and physical and mental demands, don't necessarily align with sporting excellence, training, rest or recovery. But Eimear Hayes finds the balance suits her, working in the A&E department at Newry's Daisy Hill Hospital, providing context when dealing with the so-called pressures of playing at the highest level, such as for Armagh's Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Final at Croke Park on Sunday against Laois (1.00pm, live on RTÉ2). Thanks to the understanding of management, who have clearly wanted the Tullysaran defender in their ranks, work has never gotten in the way of camogie except for one year – 2020 – and that was her own call. It was Covid times. As a nurse working in the eye of the pandemic, Hayes did not feel that she could, in all conscience, go from the ward to the pitch, no matter what precautions were being taken. The price of that selfless act was watching on a laptop as her colleagues won the All-Ireland title against Cavan at Breffni Park. Of course, she was delighted for them, and there is not even a hint of regret now. Indeed, in the spirit of all healthy dressing rooms, she is slagged as a hex having played in three other Finals – 2016, 2021 and 2022 – when the Orchard's finest failed to get over the line. She takes that in fine heart, too, and was ready to put her shoulder to the wheel once more, even after losing to Clare and Tipperary by a point at the penultimate stage of the last two Championships. 'The one thing you want to be doing at the start of the year is that you want to be preparing for an All-Ireland Final,' says Hayes. 'So, it's a bit of a relief after the Semi-Finals, we've got to where we have planned to be. There's a good buzz. It was two years in a row we'd been beat in the Semi-Final by the team that's went on to win it. So, it was 100 per cent a big relief now to get over the line. 'It's funny, the girls joke with me about (the Finals won and lost), but thank God, that was great, it was brilliant that they won it when I wasn't there.' The laughter is natural, not forced. There is more to life and she sees that most days at work. 'The hours are not great in terms of trying to manage playing camogie. People do say to you sometimes, 'God, fair play to you,' or 'God, that must be awful,' but I'm like, 'No, because if I didn't have camogie'…' adds Hayes. 'I'm lucky enough that I can play it because if I didn't have that release, and I think it's the same for everyone in sports, to be able to go from work, from that environment to, yes, training hard, but having the craic with 25 other girls, you genuinely forget about it. 'I suppose it does put into perspective what you're doing. On the grand scheme of things, you might feel a bit tired, but you know what? Actually, you're really not that bad off. 'Management is great. And I suppose that's the very definition of manager and management, but they're very, very good. And I have appreciated so much, they've been so accommodating. And I've never once been made to feel, 'Oh, you're missing this or missing that', they've always been excellent.' That someone of the calibre of PJ O'Mullan would come in as boss, just a few months after keeping Derry in the senior ranks having stewarded the Oak Leafers' return to the big time, was a huge vote of confidence and another example, Hayes states, of the County Board providing all they can to their camogs. She has relished the raising of the bar in all aspects, but there was an impact even before he came in. 'From the get-go, he's been incredibly professional, but he's been accommodating,' she says. 'He has basically pushed us to be better. He set standards maybe that, not that we're missing, but that we maybe didn't adhere to or try our best to get to. In terms of training, he's not afraid to call us out, which is an excellent thing. 'You go out every training trying to impress him, and every game, you try to impress them all – he has a great background team – because you know that they're watching. And they're not afraid to make changes. They're not afraid to make the hard calls. 'I suppose being a bit more high-profile, for the younger girls, even me, there was a nervousness going out first night. You thought you really had to excel to try to impress him.' That is something indeed as Hayes is one of the most experienced members of the panel, one of five survivors from the 2016 group along with current captain Ciara Hill, Rachael Merry, Nicola Woods and Ciarrai Devlin. That is vital nous given that there has been a huge turnover since 2024 with, she reckons, 13 players gone from 2024. That they have reached this stage is a huge achievement in those circumstances. The years roll by and she can't remember if it was a year or two before that she was called up. What is inarguable is that she turned 30 in July. Once more, the dressing room did what dressing rooms do. 'It took a bit of a while (to deal with it),' she jokes. 'I got a lot of grief from the girls. But you know what? They keep telling me it's just a number, but I don't know how I feel about that in the mornings after training!' This sounds like a very healthy, tight-knit group. You give it, you take it and you have each other's backs. Like any family. Hayes' focus on balance extended to going travelling with her partner in the latter half of 2022. Four months in southeast Asia, six weeks in New Zealand, six weeks in Australia and four months in South America. 'It was savage. And it definitely scratched an itch. I've had that period now, and then you go straight back into focusing on camogie,' she says. Which brings her back to Croke Park. Win or lose, Hayes will go into work dealing at times with life or death and know that there are worse things than losing a match and better things than winning one. And that the core of life is the relationships in them, and that she and her friends gave their all standing shoulder to shoulder. That said, you take your joy where you can get it, and winning would be brilliant. 'I suppose from a camogie perspective, there's 26 other counties or whatever that won't feature in an All-Ireland Final,' she explains. 'And I suppose you do have to look at it that from that side of things, that you're the lucky one to be building up to it. 'You've trained since November to be in this position, to put yourself in with a chance of winning an All-Ireland. There's nerves, and you'd love to get on with it, but you have to enjoy it, too. 'The men being in the football Final last year, the buzz after that Semi-Final, for a whole county to share, the joy and the buzz and the excitement that came within two weeks in the lead-up was just unbelievable. 'Obviously, this is not at the same scale but, in my own club, everyone is talking about it and wishing you well. So, you have to embrace it and get on with it.'
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Trio of British track cyclists target three new world records
A trio of British Olympians and para-cyclists will be attempting to break three track cycling world records this month. Double Olympic silver medallist Matt Richardson is aiming to break the record for the fastest flying 200m lap and to break the nine-second barrier for the first time, while Paris team pursuit silver medallist Charlie Tanfield is attempting to set a new men's elite Hour Record, which is currently 56.792km. Para-cyclist Will Bjergfelt is targeting the men's C5 Hour Record, which has stood for more than a decade, and is hoping to become the first para-cyclist to ride more than 50km in the process. The current record of 47.569km was set by Andrea Tarlo in 2014. Richardson, who formerly raced for Australia before switching to represent GB last summer, briefly held the 200m record during the Paris Games before his rival Harrie Lavreysen broke it, setting the benchmark of 9.088 seconds. Speaking to media including The Independent before the event, Richardson says his motivation 'is to become the fastest track cyclist of all time.' He and Lavreysen – who picked up three golds in Paris – have developed one of the sport's closest rivalries and the chance to go clear of the Dutchman is a major drive behind the record bid. He says: 'For me, it's a bit of a race between Harrie and I to be the first person to do it. It's been on my radar for the last couple of years. It's going to happen at some point, and once someone goes sub-nine [seconds], they'll be the first person to do that, forever. Records get beaten all the time but barriers stay with that person.' Bjergfelt was a successful road and mountain bike rider before he was hit head-on by a car in 2015 and suffered life-threatening injuries, with his right leg shattered into 25 pieces. He returned to racing in the C5 para-cycling category, winning a world silver medal on the track in 2019 and a world road race title in Glasgow two years ago, and was the first para-cyclist to ride the Tour of Britain. The Bristol native says, 'The Hour Record is iconic. I jumped on it straight away because it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. 'I definitely want to see if I can crack 50km. I would be the first C5 para cyclist to break that barrier, so that would be pretty special. I feel like I've done some pretty incredible things since I became a para-cyclist, so I want to put it out there that if you have an impairment or a disability, there's so many amazing things you can do, and it shouldn't hold anyone back who has aspirations. I want to try and inspire people to get involved.' All three world record attempts will be taking place on 14 August at the Konya Velodrome in Turkey, which hosted a round of the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in March. Richardson momentarily thought he had eclipsed Lavreysen's record at the Nations Cup, clocking a time of 9.041 seconds in qualifying, but the UCI voided his time as he strayed beyond the official bounds of the track. But the seeds were sown for future attempts. Bjerfelt says, 'With British Cycling this year being inspired by Matt's ride at the World Cup, everyone got really excited about the velodrome in Konya. That pre-empted the whole [idea], let's go back there and smash a record, and open it up to everyone.' Richardson explains, 'What makes this so appealing for a flying 200m is it's a very similar shape to the Paris velodrome [in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines], which is deemed probably one of the fastest sea-level tracks because of how wide and steep it is, but they've basically plonked it at 1200m of altitude. For a flying effort it's pretty optimal.' That steep banking allows riders to pick up more speed as they fly down to the bottom of the track, while the lower air pressure at altitude contributes towards lower air density, which means the riders will face less resistance. As Bjergfelt says, 'with the same power, you travel a lot faster'. Of his brief spell as official world record holder during the Paris Games, Richardson says, 'It was a bit of mixed emotions, because I didn't realise I'd broken it when I had, because you're so locked in to the competition. 'My first thought was 'that was a quick time', and then it dawned on me when I heard them announce that whoever wants to be the fastest qualifier now is going to have to break the world record. I was like, 'I got it, didn't I?!' And then 30 seconds later I watched Harrie go round the track, and was like 'and it's gone'.' Bjergfelt, who has had to balance the rigours of his training schedule alongside his full-time job as an aerospace engineer, says there is more to consider than just riding as hard as possible for an hour. 'We did relative tests in May up in Manchester and the one thing that I found there was that after around 40 minutes my hand became quite numb, so that's going to be interesting, pushing through the different barriers that you get. 'With the Hour Record you have to be really, really conservative in the first 40-45 minutes: you still want to be on pace to beat the record, but you have to be really within yourself, because it's an effort that comes back to bite you. In that last 10-15 minutes, that's where hopefully I'll be on pace, and at the same time I should have enough left in the tank to get the maximum out of myself.' All three riders will be on equipment designed to push them as far and as fast as possible, on the Hope-Lotus Olympic bikes from Paris last year, as well as wearing customised skinsuits. 'It's the fastest bike I've ever ridden on the track,' says Bjergfelt. 'Technology has moved on so far since the Hour Record was set in 2014. It'd be wrong if I didn't really smash the record to bits.' Richardson is similarly confident that history will be made next week. 'Nothing's ever a done deal, ever, but I'm pretty confident that I'm in a really good place to get the job done.'
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Help Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland celebrate 10 years of hugely popular Sportive
The cycling event was first held in 2014, taking a hiatus due to Covid in 2020 and 2021, with the flagship fundraising spectacular so far raising over £270,000. Lanarkshire residents are invited to help Poppyscotland celebrate 10 years of its hugely popular Sportive showcase. The Armed Forces charity first saddled up for the cycling event in 2014, taking a hiatus due to Covid in 2020 and 2021, with the flagship fundraising spectacular so far raising over £270,000. These funds have kindly been donated thanks to the 5650 cyclists who have taken part, covering hundreds of thousands of miles of cycle route, allowing Poppyscotland to support thousands of serving and ex-servicemen, women and their families who need help with issues such as housing, debt, mental health, mobility and more. With this year's event taking place on September 21, people in Lanarkshire are being encouraged to sign up now and further support Poppyscotland, whilst enjoying its 10th anniversary celebrations. Featuring four routes designed for different ability levels., it is split into two distinct types - the Classic (46, 68 and 102 miles) and the Wee Yin (22 miles). As in previous years, riders will line up at the starting point in Prestonpans, East Lothian, then head along the historic coastal route to North Berwick, where Classic route participants will face a timed hill climb before reaching the first feed station at East Linton. From there, the short route continues to Gifford, while medium and long routes head towards Garvald before splitting at Whiteadder Reservoir, with the longer challenge heading to Duns and medium returning to Gifford. All routes finish in Prestonpans. New for 2025, the Wee Yin route will take cyclists inland to Gullane before heading back towards Aberlady and then on to the coastal path. This route is largely flat and ideal for anyone wanting a family activity, looking for an easy ride, or a fun, challenging activity to do at the weekend. Richard Todd, National Poppy appeal manager for Scotland, who will be leading this year's event, said: "We are delighted to be celebrating the 10th Poppy Scotland Sportive in September. "This event has raised an astounding £273,272 over the years with over 5000 participants hitting the roads. "Not to mention the wonderful 380 volunteers and 30 mechanics in the last 10 years who have willingly given up their spare time to help and support on the day. "Once again, we would love to see as many people as possible sign up to take part this year as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, whether you are a former participant or a first timer we will be sure to give you a warm welcome, with some great encouragement on the day. "We hope to raise as much as possible in support of our Armed Forces community, and we would be delighted if those signing up to take part would also consider setting up fundraising pages and challenging themselves with a donation target. "As little as £100 goes a long way in helping us to provide much needed support to both serving and ex-servicemen, women and their families in areas like housing, debt, mental health, and mobility. "If fundraising is not for you, perhaps when you register, you'd consider adding a £10 donation per rider. It's a small gesture that can make a big difference." Entry for the Classic routes is £40 per rider (minimum age: 16). The Wee Yin route is £25 per rider or £40 per family (two adults and two children); minimum age is 12 and entry is free for riders under 16. Entry Includes: electronic timing; mechanical support; food and water stations; coffee at the start; tea and toast at the finish; 'King and Queen of The Heugh' timed hill climb; sweeper service; and a finishers gift.
