Buncrana physio Ellevyn Irwin is back to winning ways after qualifying for the HYROX World Championships in Chicago.
‘Never throw the towel in’ became Ellevyn’s motto last month after battling 11 months of injury.
She was dipping her toe back into the competitive circuit in Katowice Poland last month when she ranked 14th overall in the Women’s Pro Category and then 2nd in her age group (35-39). This paved the way for Ellevyn to qualify for the World Championships for the second year in a row. Last year, she had given up her individual qualification spot to compete with Team Ireland in the Relay.
The injuries began stacking up after the 2024 World Championships. Ellevyn, who is a former international basketball player, suffered a severe ankle injury in July, followed by a debilitating back injury while attempting to train around it.
Ellevyn Irwin at HYROX Katowice 2025
A decorated athlete, Ellevyn has 48 International Caps representing Ireland in Basketball and has won Ulster and All-Ireland medals with Donegal Ladies GAA.
Despite recommendations for surgery, she opted for conservative treatment with support from Stephen from FixYou Physio in Derry.
“Even Physios need Physios,” says Ellevyn, who had sporadic training to contend with ahead of Katowice.
“During the race, I wanted to quit because I had a time in mind and I was miles off it. I crossed the finish line totally gutted. But I’m glad I didn’t as, to my utter disbelief, I was in second place and ended up securing World Qualification my first race back! So you always hear that saying “Never throw the towel in” and this was a good example of that!,” she said.
“My amazing coach Dena Hogan who helped me out massively through all my injuries.”
Ellevyn Irwin at HYROX Katowice 2025
Ellevyn also raced a mixed doubles race with Christian McGinley and placed 5th in their age category with heavy legs.
Training for Chicago consists of six times weekly sessions of gym, track, workout, and long-run sessions between O’Flaherty Fitness and then Enjeefit Fit.
Follow her journey on Instagram: @ellevynphysio and @ellevynirwin
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