Former Dungloe GAA player Donal Rodgers finished second overall at the world-famous Al Andalusia Ultimate Trail earlier this month.
The gruelling 234 KM event was held over five days in searing heat in the mountains of the Granada Province in Al Andalusia, Spain.
Temperatures during the five-day Al Andalusia Ultimate Trail event ranged between 30-40°.
However, Rodgers, who is based in Dubai, was well-conditioned for the heat, having spent months training for the competition in the sandy climes of the Middle East.
Rodgers finished 3rd on two of the stages and then finished 2nd in the other 3 stages, which placed him 2nd overall in the competition with a time of 26:02:23.
It was a hugely impressive performance from the Dungloe man, as the competition garnered participation from top-class athletes from all over Europe.
Competitors were forced to sleep in remote campsites and eat dehydrated food, so the event not only tested the physical prowess of the participants, but also the mental fortitude to persist with all the external factors that they were forced to encounter and overcome.
Dubai Celts GAA club paid tribute to Rodgers on the club’s Instagram feed.
“Massive congratulations to men’s footballer Donal Rodgers, who recently finished 2nd in the gruelling Al Andalusia Ultimate Trail.
An overall time of 26:02:23 was enough to clinch second place.
The 234 KM event was broken down into the following five stages: Stage 1: Loja to Alhama de Granada (38KM); 2: Alhama de Granada to Jatar (48KM); 3: Jatar to Jayena (39km); 4: Jayena to Alhama de Granada (67KM) and stage 5: Alhama de Granada to Loja (42KM).
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