WEYMOUTH’S Andy Sloan is heading to the 2017 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii after a dramatic week of racing.

His year of training was based around achieving a top-four place in his 30-34 age group at Ironman Weymouth.

However, stomach problems saw him finish 22nd – albeit with a personal best time – meaning his hopes of a trip to Hawaii were dashed.

However, Sloan decided to take on the almost unheard task of racing Ironman Wales just seven days later.

Amazingly, the Weymouth athlete smashed his PB again, completing the event in a time of nine hours 57 minutes and four seconds to finish fourth in his age group, booking his place at the Worlds next year.

Speaking to Echosport, the BustinSkin athlete said: “My year was all building up to having a great race in Weymouth.

“On race day I was having the race of my life and then I had stomach problems and I finished 40 minutes slower than I should have been.

“I still got a PB but I was absolutely gutted. It may have been my personal best but I felt my personal worst.

“Within an hour after finishing I said to my wife Kirstie that I think I might do Ironman Wales next week.

“I spent three days feeling really low but I spoke to my coach and he backed it.

“He said ‘you have nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain’.”

Sloan entered the race just three days before the start, drove up to Wales on Friday before camping with his young family – not exactly the best preparation for one of the biggest events of his Ironman career.

Sloan, who runs Procision Fitness, said: It’s an incredible race and it’s actually one of the toughest Ironman races in the world.”

Despite this, Sloan competed the 2.4-mile swim in 53:58 – another PB – before feeling some cramp on the tough bike leg.

However, once he had stretched his legs, he produced an excellent 26.2-mile run in 3:23 to finish 18th out of more than 2000 entrants and smash his existing best by 13 minutes.

Speaking about his reaction once crossing the finish line, Sloan remarked: “I saw my family and led on the floor after the line feeling great.

“It was an incredible experience.”

Not only has he achieved this feat, he has also done it with two young children to father as well as running two businesses.

He added: “Trying to train 14-16 hours a week, running two businesses and trying to be the best father I can be is hard work.

“The hardest thing for me is the weekends.

“All I want to do is lay in bed with my family, but in reality I’m up at 6am on my bike for five hours and then maybe a run off the back of it.

“It’s not easy.”

Before tackling the biggest race of his life next October, Sloan will be preparing by taking on the quickest Ironman course in the world.

He added: “I’ve entered Challenge Roth (Germany), which is the world’s biggest iron-distance triathlon.

“It is where the world record is held and I’m hoping to go under nine hours.

“If I train well and I have a good day then I can do it.

“After that I will gear my training to Hawaii and if I can get in the top 20 in my age group then that is going to be a great result.”