Fran flying the flag in Rio

Tullamore’s Fran Meehan is looking forward to representing Ireland at a second Paralympics.

Unlike London in 2012 where she and cycling partner Catherine Walsh won two medals, a silver and a bronze, in Rio the duo will be competing in the para-triathlon.

Speaking to Midlands 103 earlier this week, Fran said that she is excited to competing on the biggest stage with Catherine once again.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. This is the first time that the triathlon is in the Paralympic Games. Not only does it give me the opportunity to go to a second games, it’s as a pilot for a different sport, which is kind of cool,” she said.

Fran and Catherine, who is visually impaired, first started competing together on the tandem bike in 2010 and enjoyed great success winning world championships in addition to their Olympics medals.

Catherine retired after London, but her partnership with Fran was revived after it was announced that the triathlon was being introduced in Rio. Amazingly, Rio will be Catherine's seventh paralympics.

The triathlon will consist of a 750m swim, a 22.5k cycle and a 5k run. For all of the events Fran and Katherine will be tethered together.

In the run up to London Fran and Catherine were full time athletes. However, with both of them holding down full time jobs this time around their preparations have not been the same.

For Fran her training schedule included early more swims in the Court Hotel before work. She would then meet up with Catherine at the weekend. 

Many of their competitors have been training full time and for this reason their goals are a little lower than four years ago.

“If we had got the opportunity to full time this time around, we’d probably be looking at another medal...Fifth or six would be a very good result.”

The women's triathlon finals are on September 11, while the action kicks off in Rio on September 7.