Show Notes
In October 2022 at the age of 20, Laura McEvoy from Northern Ireland was involved in a devastating car accident that changed her life forever, leaving her with a spinal cord injury at L1, fractured vertebrae in her neck, and a cracked skull. Told she might never walk again, Laura refused to accept defeat. Through sheer determination and the unwavering support of her family and friends, she defied the odds rebuilding her life step by step facing life's toughest challenges with remarkable resilience and passion.
A former competitive Irish dancer and outdoor enthusiast, Laura found her way back to the activities she loved and discovered new passions along the way. From learning to walk again with crutches and AFOs to abseiling and climbing the iconic Rathlin Wall at Fairhead, she has redefined what it means to overcome adversity.
Today, Laura is a passionate advocate for accessible outdoor adventure, working with organisations including; Mountaineering Ireland, Tollymore, and Accessible Adventures Ireland to create inclusive opportunities in climbing, paddle sports and hiking. She's raised thousands for The Outdoor Partnership, earned multiple climbing qualifications, and is now leading the way in organising major inclusive and adaptive expeditions, this past weekend she was part of a paddling and camping adventure on Lough Erne.
As if that wasn't enough, Laura is also making her mark on the court as a wheelchair basketball athlete for Northern Ireland, with her sights set firmly on the Commonwealth Games in 2026. Her motto, "Say yes to everything," captures the spirit of a woman who isn't just surviving trauma she's thriving and inspiring others to believe that their limits are only the starting point.
More from Tri Talking Sport
Jen Done didn't grow up sporty. She swam a bit as a youngster, tagging along to galas beside a sister who was the 'sporty one of the family' and other than a handful of pre-baby marathons, a life in sport was never really part of her master plan. Seven years ago, after the birth of her daughter, she found herself in a very different kind of race, a race against postnatal depression so severe she could not get out the front door, convinced her husband and daughter would be better off without her. Dismissed as "baby blues" by three separate doctors before a female GP finally gave her the diagnosis and help she needed. Somewhere in the middle of it all, her husband suggested she try running again; she managed 30 seconds out the door and back. It was enough to change everything. That 30 seconds became a habit, and the habit snowballed; an IRONMAN 70.3 in Weymouth, her first full IRONMAN in Hamburg, the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2023 racing with the IRONMAN Foundation. She launched her own podcast, 'The Toughest Finish Line', to share other people's stories of using sport to fight through trauma and mental health struggles and she is also a triathlon coach. A little over three weeks ago, Jen took on her biggest challenge yet: two full IRONMAN races, on consecutive days, in two different countries. IRONMAN Kalmar in Sweden on Saturday and IRONMAN Copenhagen in Denmark 24 hours later. In this episode Jen recalls and shares insight into her Viking IRONMAN adventure, the highs and the lows, the chaos to the calmness, from lost luggage, to the hectic hours before the race weekend even started and the nausea that almost derailed her ambitious racing plans which saw her become an eight time IRONMAN. Jen talks openly about her postnatal depression and the transformational journey she has been on since that 30 second run seven years ago. She reflects on what she's learned about her own capacity to cope, how strong she is and how far removed this version of herself is from the woman who once couldn't leave the house. This is a lovely episode centred on courage, resilience, self-belief and the importance of a loving support crew to help you take one small step at a time, even when that small step seems impossible.
British professional triathlete Harry Palmer recently took the title for the third year in a row at IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, an accomplishment that is not often achieved in sport.
Aisling Wyer is an Irish triathlete and member of Naas Triathlon Club who has achieved impressive results at home and abroad all whilst working full time as a solicitor.
Endurance adventurer Sean Conway has lived a life defined by adventure, resilience and a relentless desire to do hard things. Driven by curiosity and an appetite for pushing beyond what most consider possible, Sean has built a career out of testing the very edges of human endurance.
Our first guests of 2026 are familiar names in endurance sport here in Ireland; Rob Cummins and Aisling Coppinger who share with us an honest and inspiring conversation about life, love and longevity in sport.