The life of Anton Hegarty seems more fiction than fact. He escapes poverty and unemployment in his native city in Ireland by joining the British army but ends up in two of the twentieth century's bloodiest theatres of war. Against all odds he survives only to end up in a sectarian war on his own doorstep. Despite all this he still continues to excel as an athlete and dreams of Olympic glory. Meanwhile the love of his life waits patiently for him. This is his remarkable story ..... one that he never got to tell.

Malcolm McCausland is a track and field coach and former international athlete. He has been the Athletics Correspondent of the Irish News for the past 20 years.