Ready to take on the best the Cairns Ironman can throw at him

Sports Stars

Byron Filmer

Junior Reporter

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Daniel Inglis has been training for months in preparation to compete in the upcoming Cairns Ironman 70.3. Picture: Byron Filmer

Daniel Inglis has for months been swimming, running and cycling with the goal of beating his previous record from last year's Cairns Airport Ironman 70.3 event.

On June 15, Inglis will be competing in the half ironman, a triathlon event consisting of a 1.9km swim, a 90km cycling section and a 21.1km run - the 70.3 stands for that total distance in miles. 

The Ironman Cairns is an annual event drawing thousands of athletes to compete in Far North Queensland. 

Inglis took part in the same event last year and achieved his goal of sub five and half hours, with a final time of 5:24:41. This year he hopes to be sub five hours.

He does an average of 15 hours of training a week, a combination of running, cycling and swims. 

Running has been his main area to focus on improvement for this year's event.

He has had a passion for cycling since 2005 and started competing in 2017, but the 2024 Ironman 70.3 was his first event of that kind.

“I had actually only started running in preparation last year,” Inglis says. 

“I'm already 20 per cent quicker than I was then, which is a great improvement.

“I feel more comfortable and more efficient.”

Inglis is also happy to have more high-end equipment, including a more aerodynamic bike, which should help improve his time. 

Many local sponsors have helped Inglis prepare for the event, all of which he displays proudly on his custom race suit.

With just over a month left until the big event Daniel is beginning his final block of training and believes he will soon be ready.

“I am going to start practising race day nutrition and do some longer rides at a higher intensity with runs straight after.

“I will also keep practising my transitions and my swimming with the wetsuit on,” he says.

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