If you thought there was nothing to stir the soul more than a powerful rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau you would be wrong. Even more powerful is a rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau on a stunning Welsh beach at sunrise ahead of one of the most gruelling competitive events in the UK.
At 7am this morning racers lined up ahead of the epic Ironman Wales event. Back after several years of cancellations due to Covid the course sees athletes attempt to complete a 2.4-mile sea swim, hilly 112-mile bike ride and full marathon within 17 hours. And on the setting of Tenby's iconic North Beach, the athletes and assembled supports delivered a fantastic performance of the Welsh national anthem. With the amazing acoustics offered by the cliffs the lyrics were pumped out just as the sun was coming over the horizon. You can watch this moment in the video at the top of this story.
There was some debate about whether the event would go ahead given the death of the Queen three days before. However there was also an impeccably observed minute's silence. The course at Tenby is renowned for being one of the toughest (though incredibly beautiful). The hills of Pembrokeshire can (and do) break the spirit of even a hardened athlete.
However what makes Ironman Wales stand out is not the course, or even the scenery, it is the way local people embrace the event. You can read our special report on how the race helped transform the once one stage and hen party hotspot here. And our live blog will bring you all the latest images and updates from the course as the (quite frankly crazy) athletes take on the race.
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