Thousands line the streets of Tenby for Ironman Wales

Thousands of spectators lined the streets of Tenby for Ironman Wales Credit: Matthew Trowbridge

Thousands of competitors have taken to the streets of Tenby for Ironman Wales.

The race began at 7.30am on Sunday morning with a two-loop 2.4 mile swim at North Beach.

This was followed by a two-loop 112 mile cycle that began in Tenby and travelled through Pembrokeshire.

Competitors gather on North Beach for the swim (left). Spectators cheering on cyclists (right). Credit: Matthew Trowbridge

Competitors then embarked on a four-loop 26.2 mile run. Over 2,800 people are taking part in the event.

The predicted time for the final finisher is 1am tomorrow morning. Last year, Alexander Milne ranked in first place, with a finish time of 9:39:45.

Six-year-old Harri Trowbridge from Merthyr Tydfil was at the beach this morning with his dad Matthew to watch friend Luke Morgan compete.

Harri Trowbridge, aged 6 from Merthyr Tydfil at Tenby's North Beach Credit: Matthew Trowbridge

Runners go past Tenby's Medieval walls on the route Credit: Matthew Trowbridge

Thousands of spectators lined the streets of Tenby to cheer on competitors as they made their way around the course, despite the rain forecast.

Every athlete taking part in the event has the chance to qualify for the annual World Championships.

Each five-year age band is allocated at least one place in the world championships.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...