Omagh man completes Ironman after losing ability to walk

A YOUNG man from Omagh who lost the ability to walk at age 11 after being diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has defied the odds by completing his first Ironman triathlon – just nine years later.

Mark McAnulla (20) crossed the finish line at the European Ironman Championships in Frankfurt last month, completing the gruelling event – which includes a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle, and a 42.2 km run – in just over 14 hours.

It marks a stunning turnaround for the former national-level swimmer, whose health collapsed so dramatically as a child that he was left unable to walk, speak, or even use the toilet unassisted.

“By November he lost the ability to walk and talk,” said his mother, Aine McAnulla, speaking to the Ulster Herald. “It only took a few days, and we thought it was a stroke.”

“Mark couldn’t get out of bed. He couldn’t speak or walk or go to the toilet by himself; he needed full-time care.”

After being discharged from hospital in a wheelchair, Mark was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), a complex, long-term condition characterised by extreme exhaustion and a host of other debilitating symptoms.

Aine, who works as a nurse and was a swimming instructor in Omagh, began gently reintroducing Mark to physical activity through water-based therapy.

Over time, Mark progressed from using a zimmer frame to crutches, and eventually returned to school. But attempts to join in with friends at football training proved too much, leading to setbacks both physically and mentally.

“Mark is incredibly headstrong, and when he saw all his friends playing football and soccer, he wanted to join in,” Aine recalled. “But he had to stop training and really concentrate on his rehab.”

Two years later, Mark began struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety. “His anxiety hit the roof, and he was stressed that he would never get to do the sporting challenges he wanted to do,” Aine said.

The turning point came when the family sought help from the Koram Centre, a mental health charity in Strabane. Mark underwent art therapy, funded by Children in Need, which helped rebuild his confidence and resilience.

From there, Mark’s recovery – and his ambition – gathered momentum.

Just last year, he completed two half marathons in Omagh and Strabane, followed by a local triathlon in Loughmacrory. Then, in June, came the ultimate test in Frankfurt: the Ironman.

“We were up just before 3am for the race, and away he went,” said Aine, who travelled to Germany to support her son. “His swim went really well, but the marathon around the river was really difficult – it was incredibly hot at 35°C.”

“Mark did four laps of the river, and it was so hard because he had to keep running past the finish line. At the end of it he was just beat.”

Seeing her son cross the finish line was a moment Aine said she’ll never forget.

“It really is an incredible thing to see. When he was diagnosed with ME, all we wanted to do was ensure that he walked again, and now he is completing Ironman events.”

She credits Mark’s success to a combination of graded exercise, careful nutrition, and the unwavering mental strength he developed during therapy.

“ME is just a condition that nobody ever talks about, and not everyone comes out of it well,” Aine said. “So Mark is sensitive to that as well – that not everyone is as fortunate.”

“Mark has an incredibly strong mindset, and although others have helped him in his recovery, it’s his attitude that has seen him come so far.”