Rain adds to Rohan money worries

As if the inclement nature of the weather isn’t enough of an obstacle for Irish athletes’ endurance training, Mark Rohan has to cope with the added worry that failure to make the top three at the Para-Cycling Road World Championships in August will cost him €20,000.

The double Paralympic gold medallist has revealed he is sick of training in the rain at home as he prepares for the South Carolina event with Paralympics qualification in mind for next year. Average temperatures in South Carolina in August are in the low 30s and Rohan believes slogging it out on Irish roads is a waste of time.

“I have to get out of this country because for endurance events I don’t think you can train to your highest potential in Ireland,” Rohan said at an event to mark Mondelez Ireland’s sponsorship of Paralympics Ireland until 2017. “The body responds better in the heat. If it’s 10 degrees and it’s wet and you’ve an hour to go to get home, it’s miserable. It affects your mood and everything.