Write a commentMartin Patterson has the honour of being the only Newry triathlete to have participated for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games.
This was a massive honour for the Moorhill Road man as he was selected by Triathlon Ireland to travel to Auckland, New Zealand for the 1990 Games that was started by Prince Edward. The Olympic distance triathlon, then in the Games for the first time, had over 20,000 spectators lining the route to watch the race – and it was also beamed out live on television.
Martin was then part of an Irish team that also included Greencastle girl Mary McElroy, a member of the Newry Triathlon Club, and Belfast’s Eamon McConvey who is now living in our city with his wife Ann and family.
Martin, married to Fiona with children Ethan, Ryan, Pierce, Myles and Erin, earned his international call-up to New Zealand by winning the 1989 Irish National Series, as well as placing high in almost every triathlon in which he competed that year, including wins at Enniskillen and Ballymena.
Taking part Commonwealth Games was the major highlight in the sporting life of the hugely talented and athletic Patterson. But there were quite a few other notable occasions. For example he ran a blistering 31.38 for 10 kilometres on the road, did 14.48 for an accurate three-mile race on the Warrenpoint Road and completed a half marathon in 71 minutes dead. He also cycled 22.08 for ten miles, completed the Switzerland Ironman and represented Ireland in both the World Triathlon Championships in Wellington, New Zealand and European Championships in Trier Germany - in Trier he was joined on the Irish team by Newry men Kookie O’Hagan and Padraig Lynch.
Martin says: “The Commonwealth Games was high point in my career but my lowest moment came in the All-Ireland half-Ironman Championships in Sligo in 1990. I had trained like a demon all winter for Sligo and was in the shape of my life. I had a good swim that day and was lying fourth on the bike, with hopes of picking up another couple of places. But two punctures wrecked my dreams.”
Martin began his triathlon career in the mid-eighties when he won several Milk Triathlon series races – events akin to today’s Try-A-Tri.
He says: “It’s fantastic to see how the sport has progressed since I first started in the eighties. I had stopped doing triathlons for quite a few years but was brought back when I was asked by Catherine Murphy to help organise the first Crooked lake Triathlon (in 2003). For two or three years I was Race Director for Triathlon Ireland at the Camlough event.”
Martin continued: “I now train for just half an hour each day and did the Newry City Triathlon last year, really enjoying it. (He was 47th in 1.16.47).
“Incidentally I would like to thank former workmates at the Newry Swimming Pool and members of the Newry Shamrocks Running Club for their help and encouragement in getting me into the sport of triathlon.
“I’ve done triathlons all over the world and I’ll have to say that Newry’s Albert Basin venue is second to none. It’s a fast, flat and accurate course that has the potential to stage a top International Triathlon.
“And I’m really looking forward to testing myself again on Sunday, August 31 in the Firmus Energy Newry City Triathlon,” said Martin.
