Inspirational ironman Alan rounds off year in style

“Never let the old man in.”

These words will continue to inspire Edinburgh’s Alan Bremner as he reflects on a third place in his age-group (65-69 years) at the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii.

Initially Alan was disappointed with his performance, revealing: “I’d gone out 19 days early to prepare properly for the heat and humidity and really wanted to win as it would have been the ideal way for me to finish triathlon.

“However, the more I thought about my fellow competitor’s words to me and the need to keep inspiring other older athletes the more I want to keep going.

“In addition to that I have had to understand that 2024 was a pretty good year for me in my sport.”

Indeed. For Alan, president of the David Lloyd Newhaven Harbour triathlon club, was sole qualifier for the Hawaii event from a race in Lanzarote and from there warmed up by winning the gruelling Alp d’Huez Triathlon.

There are other reasons to keep going although on return he has had to undergo delayed double hernia surgery.

Among those encountered in Hawaii were Billy Monger (former winner of the Helen Rollason Award for facing down adversity at the BBC Sports Personality Awards), who, as a top motor sport prospect, lost both legs in an accident.

Monger smashed the course record in Kona, Hawaii, for a double amputee by two hours.

Additionally there was a competitor with stage four cancer, Alan recalled.

One real highlight for Alan was a local old lady presenting him with a home made Saltire when she heard he was Scottish and no Scottish flag might be available (it was).

Less well received were a host of jellyfish stings and who knows how things might have turned out in the swim part of an event which also includes running and cycling with a bike Alan had specially flown out.

“We heard later there were sharks in the water while we were racing but at the time I was not aware,” said Alan with an element of relief, no doubt?