'I didn't think I could do it,' says 71-year-old winner of Liffey Swim Derek 'Bimbo' Wilkes

"A 71-year-old who competed in his 55th Liffey Swim yesterday won the men's event in the 105th year of the race."

"Fabulous. Unbelievable. I didn't think I could do it. It's unbelievable. And my family. The two lads, we've been in the race since they were children - and when I started I was really a child as well. I'm over the moon, over the moon."

Derek 'Bimbo' Wilkes, aged 71 and from Clontarf, north Dublin, won the men's event in the 105th Liffey Swim. The victory marked his 55th time competing in the race. He described the result as fabulous and unbelievable and said he did not think he could do it. He highlighted family involvement, noting the two lads have been in the race since they were children and that he began when he was very young. He expressed being over the moon about the achievement.

Read at Independent