Triathlon: First-time triathlete learns to swim in eight weeks

John, who finished ninth in Saturday's event, couldn't swim two months ago

Eight weeks ago John McDermott couldn't swim and had a fear of water.

He had never in his life been in a swimming pool. At the seaside, he wouldn't let the water rise above his ankles.

But the 36-year-old from Strabane, County Tyrone, a keen runner and cyclist, had a burning desire to compete in a triathlon - a sport which combines swimming, cycling and running.

To do that he'd need to challenge himself to overcome his fear.

On 14 June, he entered a swimming pool for the first time in his life.

"I signed up to the triathlon nine weeks out, my first [swimming] lesson was the following week," John told BBC Radio Foyle.

He had two months to learn to swim.

Last Saturday, he completed his debut triathlon, including a 350-metres open-water swim, finishing ninth in the Omagh Try A Tri event at Loughmacrory.

"I am still on a high," he said.

"It sounds weird to say but I felt so proud of myself. It is the biggest thing I have overcome."

John's daughters Fiadh and Meabh are "very proud" of their daddy

According to official figures, swimming is the most popular sport for adults in Northern Ireland but the thought of diving in can fill many people with dread.

As many as one in every four adults in the UK struggles to swim for 25m (82ft) unaided, with many having been put off learning by a bad experience or a lifelong fear of water.

John said his fear of the water had gathered its own momentum over the years.

"I think it is more a confidence thing. I am scared of the unknown with the water, never really swam, actively avoided it," he said.

He added: "It probably got into my own head more the longer it went on, building up, being more scared of it than I should have been."

But having signed up for the triathlon there was no going back.

John's always been a keen runner and cyclist - two of the three disciplines of a triathlon

His first lesson at the leisure centre in Ballybofey in County Donegal was a daunting experience.

"That first lesson wasn't great," John said.

"If I hadn't signed up for the triathlon I'm not sure I would have gone back.

"The feeling of being in the pool, in the water, suddenly the enormity of the challenge was real. I had to stick with it."

His determination took him back the next evening. As the weeks progressed, he found every lesson as challenging as the one before.

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"Every training session I had to build myself up, start nice and slow, get my face into the water. I still have to actively work at it, something I am dealing with."

As the date of the triathlon loomed ever closer, John knew swimming in open water could be a whole different experience to that in the pool.

He wanted to test himself in the lough.

"I went three times [before the triathlon]. On the first trip again, the enormity of it all set in, it's a different type of water, it's dark, it moves in a different way," he said.

John competes again on 20 August

On his first attempt at the 350m distance, he recorded a time of 25 minutes. Last Saturday, he finished the swim leg of the triathlon in just over 13 minutes.

"I was second last out of the water, it took a while, but I was clapped like I was first out."

Everyone he says, was cheering and clapping, including his wife, Grace, and their daughters Fiadh, four and Meabh, two.

His family, he said, were "very proud" with all he has achieved.

Now he is training for his second triathlon on 20 August in County Donegal - an event with an increased swimming distance of 450 metres.