Over 20 Galway athletes competing at Fitness Inclusion Games at National Indoor Arena
Over twenty Galway competitors – from the city, Tuam and Loughrea – will be travelling to Dublin to compete in Irish Wheelchair Association’s 2026 Fitness Inclusion Games taking place at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena, Dublin, next Thursday.
As the popular Hyrox fitness craze continues across Ireland, these athletes with disabilities are competing in Ireland’s only fully inclusive Hyrox-inspired competition.
For the second year in a row the Fitness Inclusion Games will bring together athletes with disabilities from across Ireland to compete in Ireland’s first ever dedicated fitness competition for people with physical disabilities.
The Games were created as the inclusive equivalent of popular high-intensity fitness competitions, such as CrossFit and Hyrox, with all workouts adapted to suit each participant’s ability.
The 2026 Fitness Inclusion Games will see 150 athletes participate in teams from IWA community centres across Ireland, competing in a series of adaptive fitness challenges, with spectators invited to attend and support the athletes.
Noah Curley from Loughrea has been training in the gym for over a year as part of the IWA Fitness Inclusion Project and has noticed a big difference health-wise.
"Last year's games really motivated me so I'm really grateful for that. It was one of my favourite things last year," says Noah.
"I notice a big difference since before I started in the gym. Day to day I am fitter and I am less tired. I notice when I am going for coal at home my back used to be sore but it's not sore anymore since I started the gym."
Last year's games really motivated me so I'm really grateful for that. It was one of my favourite things last year,
Noah is looking forward to his second Fitness Inclusion Games competition. He says the fun on the day is enjoyable, but Noah is there to compete and is hoping to improve on his performance last year.
"I'm a competitive person so I'm looking forwards to it. I am hoping to do better because I've been training a bit so I'm looking forward to it. It's good to have a goal," he says.
Participants train year-round through IWA’s Fitness Inclusion Project, with many reporting significant improvements in both physical strength and mental wellbeing. The programme has expanded nationwide since its launch, providing more people with opportunities to experience inclusive fitness for the first time.
For almost two years Shane Larkin, a Support Officer with IWA, has been working in the gym with a group of over 23 people from across Galway with physical disabilities and mobility issues.
Shane has seen how the Fitness Inclusion Games has encouraged people into the gym, and the benefits this has in their daily lives.
"For wheelchair users and members with mobility issues, in particular we can really see that people are fitter and stronger. The gym has really helped people with their range of movement, getting in and out of buses etc. there is a big difference,” he says.