Over 2,300 athletes from 30 different countries took part in Ireland's first ever Ironman event, which was held in Galway today.
'Ironman 70.3 Ireland' saw participants swim, cycle and run through the difficult course, which also served as a qualifier for a world final due to be held in the US next year.
Windy and difficult conditions meant the swimming section of the course had to be shortened to 750m, which was then followed by a 90km cycle from Galway city through Connemara.
The final part of the gruelling event was a 21km run through Salthill.
First across the line was Switzerland's Mike Aigroz in a time of 3 hours and 50 minutes.
Slovakia's Pavel Simko was second and Owen Cummin's from Cork was the first Irish athlete to cross the line in third place.
Britain's Lucy Gossage and Rachael Joyce came in first and second place in the women's section of the event, with Charisa Wernick from the US in third.
Best of the Irish women was Joyce Wolfe, who finished in fourth place.
35 of the athletes who took part in today's event will now be invited on to next year's Ironman 70.3 World Final, in Las Vegas.
