GreenBkk.com McLaren | Thanks to Vodafone, elite Irish triathletes dropped in to meet Jenson at MTC yesterday

Thanks to Vodafone, elite Irish triathletes dropped in to meet Jenson at MTC yesterday

1 hour ago

Vodafone, as part of its sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland, yesterday brought two of the country’s top triathletes face to face with a sports-star who knows all about speed, Jenson Button, here at our home in the McLaren Technology Centre.

Triathletes Gavin Noble and Bryan Keane, both hopefuls for the 2012 London Olympics, got to learn about the fitness and mental toughness required for the high-octane sport of Formula1 as they were hosted by Vodafone, whose largest global sponsorship is with the McLaren Mercedes team of Button and Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking afterwards, Button, who has participated in a number of triathlons himself, expressed his admiration for the two Irish athletes.

“As a Grand Prix racing driver, you work hard all the time to be at our peak of physical fitness, these guys do every bit as much. Theirs is an incredible discipline and as someone who has competed in triathlons and will do them again, I take my hat off to them. I wish Gavin and Bryan the very best in their pursuit of an Olympic place and success at the games themselves,” he said.

The trip also afforded Gavin Noble the opportunity to talk to engineers at the McLaren Technology Centre who created the Specialized S-works + McLaren Venge - the world’s fastest UCI-legal road bike which is being used by the Enniskillen born triathlete.

“It’s incredible to see the technology they adapt here. It’s where sport and engineering meet at the highest level and I know that for myself thanks to the Venge. I am privileged to be riding this bike and we are both privileged to be here today with Jenson. It’s great that he’s a tri fan and he was really keen to know about our training as well so we had plenty to talk about.”

Hosting the triathletes on the trip, Vodafone Ireland Business and Enterprise Director Anne O’Leary, herself a triathlete, said: “We’re delighted to be able to help facilitate this trip as part of our sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland. Bringing them together with one of the team members from Vodafone’s biggest international sponsorship was a great opportunity for Gavin and Bryan to experience a global sport at the highest end. They definitely enjoyed and learned from the experience.”

Credit: McLaren (mclaren.com)