Tealby tennis players boost championship bid fund

Around 30 players competed in the annual event on courts at the Bowls and Tennis Club and further afield.

As always, they chose a local good cause to raise money for and this year they decided to support Louth athlete Liz McTernan, who was delighted with the decision.

Liz said: “It is awesome the ladies have supported me once more.

“They first supported me when I was starting out six years ago and we have always kept in touch.

“I don’t get any funding, so I really on fundraising events such as this and the generosity of people such as these.

“People are really kind and I have had lots of small amounts given to me, but these add up; Team McTernan is great!”

This year, Liz has been opting for competitions which attract prize money to help boost funds for her next big event.

Her funds have been boosted to the tune of £626 by the ladies of Tealby Tennis Club.

Event organiser Sarah Buckley said: “It was a very successful event and I thank everyone for taking part.

“We wish Liz well in her future competitions.”

This week sees her flying out to Hawaii for the 2018 Ironman World Championships in Kona.

Liz said: “It is very expensive, so the money from the Tealby ladies will go towards the cost for that.”

Liz spoke to the ladies about her recent competitions and the equipment she needs to compete at this top level.

Liz uses a recumbent handcycle for the competition and took along her current bike to show the ladies.

This piece of equipment alone cost £12,000.

However, it is serving Liz well, as she is now the world record holder for the fastest female recumbent handcycle athlete, an honour she won at the Ironman Cozumel in Mexico - finishing the course in a time of 13 hours and 16 seconds.

Liz admits handcycling took some getting used to and is not the easiest of options when competing.

In fact, when Liz took part in last year’s world championship, she was only the second female to compete on a handcycle.

She said: “It is tough - I didn’t expect last year’s event to be quite so hard and I missed the time cut off in the race by just a minute.

“It is good that we (para-athletes) are treated in the same way as age group athletes at these events.

“I don’t want to be treated any differently - but yes, it is tough.”

Liz has big ambitions for this year’s World Championship event.

She said: “I am aiming to do a faster time this year and so am looking to finish in 12 hours.”

Race day for the 2018 World Iron Man Championships is Saturday October 13 and Liz will be working hard in the time leading up to the race day taking part in scheduled training events and meetings.

Back at Tealby the ladies competed for their own honours and the tennis day winners were: court one - Edwina Jackson; court 2 - Helen Gibbard; court 3 - Helen Mair; court 4 - Rebecca Blackwood; court 5 - Wendy Harper-Smith and court six Gabrielle Ellis.