Olympian Triathlon Belfast

𝗗𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝟳𝟬.𝟯 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡! 🌍🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️

A huge weekend for OTC as Neil and Steven returned to IRONMAN 70.3 Hradec Králové for the second year in a row — and both came away with a place at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Tennessee in August 2027!

Conditions were far tougher than last year, with temperatures climbing above 30°C and strong winds making the bike leg a real test. Despite that, both athletes produced outstanding performances and made massive improvements on their 2025 results.

Steven:
🏊‍♂️ Swim – 32:11
🚴‍♂️ Bike – 2:19
🏃‍♂️ Run – 1:31:04
🥉 3rd in M35–40 — up from 16th in 2025

Neil:
🏊‍♂️ Swim – 39:48
🚴‍♂️ Bike – 2:26
🏃‍♂️ Run – 1:35:34
💪 13th in M40–45 — up from 30th in 2025

The standout achievement? Both athletes secured qualification for the 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship! 🌍👏

An incredible turnaround in just one year, with Steven climbing from 16th to the podium and Neil jumping 17 places in a highly competitive age group.

Tennessee, here they come! 🇺🇸✈️

Massive congratulations to both Neil and Steven on an outstanding achievement. OTC will be proudly following your journey to the World Championships!

𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 – 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻

A huge congratulations to all 11 members of our Try a Tri Class of 2026, who completed their first triathlon at Donaghadee's Peninsula Sprint Triathlon on Sunday!

After weeks of training, the group put everything into practice on race day, taking on the swim, bike and run to cross that finish line as triathletes.

Donaghadee Harbour was on its best behaviour, making for a relatively stress-free swim before athletes headed out on a fast out-and-back bike course via Millisle. The final leg featured a run around the iconic lighthouse, before a rousing finish along the promenade.

A special congratulations to OTC's Lucy, who rounded off a brilliant day by taking 🥈 2nd place in her age category!

OTC Results
• Paddy 01:13:46
• Jim 01:15:07
• Lucy 01:17:47 🥈
• Laura 01:22:30
• Stephen 01:23:10
• Lisa F 01:34:34
• Lisa Mc 01:39:20

Try a Tri Class of 2026 Results:
• Eyrin – 1:25:12
• Lois – 1:26:27
• Sandra – 1:28:02
• Ruth – 1:29:03
• Catherine – 1:31:11
• Rebecca – 1:31:21
• Hannah – 1:37:16
• Sinead – 1:38:55
• Teresa – 1:45:44
• Jessica – 1:45:51
• Nicole – 2:13:15

A massive thank you to club coach Anne for mentoring the group throughout their training programme, and to Deborah for helping to organise the Try a Tri group on race day.

Finally, a huge shout-out to our friends at Peninsula Triathlon Club for accommodating our Try a Tri group at such a fantastic event.

𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗖 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 – 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮

A huge congratulations to OTC coach David Graham, who has been producing some incredible performances at the European Masters Long Course Championships in Bratislava over the last few days!

David opened his championships on Friday by taking 🥈 silver in the 100m Butterfly in 58.52 seconds, breaking a 16-year-old Irish record in the process.

Sunday brought another fantastic performance, as David claimed 🥉 bronze in the 400m Freestyle in 4:28.30 — an incredible four seconds faster than his previous Irish record!

Then on Monday, David added another two medals to his collection, taking 🥈 silver in the 200m Butterfly in 2:15.10, before claiming 🥉 bronze in the 100m Freestyle in 55.08 seconds — once again lowering his own Irish record! 🚀

Four medals and multiple Irish records at a European Championships is an incredible achievement.

Massive congratulations, David — a fantastic few days of racing.

🌟 WOMEN IN SPORT – TRI LEADER PROGRAMME 🌟

Ever thought about getting involved in coaching? This could be the perfect place to start!

On 20th September, Triathlon Ireland’s Women in Sport Tri Leader Programme is coming to Dublin — and we’re delighted that it will be led by our very own Anne, joined by Diane.

The Tri Leader qualification is the first step on the Triathlon Ireland coaching pathway, giving you the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to support sessions within your club and help others enjoy triathlon.

✨ No previous coaching experience required
✨ Learn practical coaching & leadership skills
✨ Build confidence supporting athletes of all abilities
✨ Meet and connect with other women in triathlon
✨ Take your first step towards becoming a coach

And thanks to the Women in Sport programme subsidy, the cost is just €60! 🙌

📅 20th September 2026
📍 Sport Ireland HQ, National Sports Campus, Dublin
⏰ 9:00am – 5:30pm
💰 €60 subsidised rate

If you’ve ever thought “I’d love to help others get into triathlon” — this is your chance. ❤️

Come and join Anne & Diane and take your first step into coaching!

🔗 Book your place through Triathlon Ireland.

https://www.triathlonireland.com/news/trileader-your-first-step-into-coaching/

𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 – 𝗖𝗼. 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 🏊‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Joanne was the sole OTC representative at the Loughrea Triathlon Festival on Sunday, taking on the National Series Sprint Triathlon in the beautiful surroundings of Loughrea, Co. Galway.

Following the Youth Championships, children's races and Aquabike, the Sprint Triathlon got underway with four well-spaced waves. The race began with a 750m swim in the calm, crystal-clear 14°C waters of Loughrea Lake—Ireland's only Blue Flag freshwater lake. A long run into transition led onto a two-lap, undulating 20km bike course, before the race concluded with a two-lap 5km run.

Hosted by Predator Triathlon Club, the event was once again superbly organised, with excellent marshalling, a friendly atmosphere and a stunning setting making it a favourite on the National Series calendar.

Joanne put in a fantastic performance to take 🥇 1st place in the F60–64 age group! Congratulations, Joanne! 👏💙

𝗖𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 🚴‍♂️❤️

A fantastic turnout from OTC members on Saturday as we supported the Ciarla's Next Step Charity Sportive, co-hosted by VC Glendale CC and Lámh Dhearg.

With riders taking on either the 50km or 70km route, it was a brilliant day on the bike for a fantastic cause, with plenty of smiles, great company and another opportunity to get some quality miles in together.

A massive thank you to VC Glendale CC and Lámh Dhearg for organising, marshalling and providing such fantastic hospitality throughout the day. Events like these don't happen without the hard work of volunteers, and it was greatly appreciated by everyone involved.

Well done to all the Olympians who took part and helped support such a worthy cause! 👏💙

𝗧𝗿𝗶-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 – 𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗵 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

OTC enjoyed another fantastic day of racing at Tri-the-Lough, hosted by Omagh Triathlon Club, with perfect conditions greeting athletes throughout the day. A calm Lough Macrory, light winds and comfortable temperatures made for an ideal morning of racing. ☀️

The swim started at a frantic pace, with plenty of bumping and jostling on the way to the first buoy before things settled down. The bike course delivered its usual mix of fast sections and rolling hills, while the run wound through the forest before finishing on the tarmac around the lough, providing a brilliant end to the race.

A special welcome goes to Jennifer, who completed her third triathlon and her first as an OTC member. We hope it's the first of many in the blue kit! 💙

There were some outstanding performances across the club, with Gavin producing one of the rides of the day. Gavin exited the water 3rd overall and backed it up with a superb bike and run to finish 9th overall in an exceptionally strong field, while also claiming 🥈 2nd in the M30–34 age group. A seriously impressive performance. 👏

Podium & Notable Results:
• 🥇 Nuala – 1st F55–59
• 🥇 Eve – 1st F30–34
• 🥈 Gavin – 9th Overall, 3rd out of the water & 2nd M30–34
• 🥈 Lucy – 2nd F20–24
• 🥈 Jane – 2nd F60–64
• Emma – 4th F40–44
• Beth – 4th F30–34

Also representing OTC:
• David
• Maeve
• Jennifer
• Julia
• Seamys
• Ruth
• Karen

A huge thank you to Omagh Triathlon Club, the organisers and all the marshals for putting on another superb event. The post-race spread of pizza, sandwiches, fruit and buns was the perfect reward after a great morning of racing! 🍕👏

Well done to everyone who represented OTC so brilliantly!

𝗧𝗿𝗶 𝗧𝘆𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝟳𝟬.𝟯 – 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️

A fantastic day of racing for OTC at the Tri Tyrone 70.3, with eight Olympians taking on one of the fastest middle-distance races on the calendar. The sunshine was relentless throughout the day, making for some tough racing conditions, but the team produced some outstanding performances. ☀️💪

The race began with a 1.9km swim in the calm waters of Eskragh Lough, where temperatures of around 19–20°C provided the perfect start. Athletes then headed out onto the 90km bike course, featuring plenty of fast sections mixed with enough rolling hills to keep everyone honest. The support around the course was fantastic and helped carry riders through the long, hot hours in the saddle.

The day finished with a three-lap half marathon, with the blistering sunshine making the final 21.1km the toughest part of the race for many. 🌡️🏃‍♂️

OTC Results:
• 🥇 Samuel – 4:16 (1st Age Group)
• Neil Conlon – 4:51
• Mirek – 4:53
• David – 5:07
• Tony – 5:37
• Zach – 5:48
• Anthony – 5:55
• Fion – 6:00

A special congratulations to Samuel on taking the top step of the age group podium and to Mirek for knocking a minute off his previous best. 👏

Massive well done to all eight Olympians on another brilliant day representing OTC!

𝗛𝗮𝘇𝗲𝗹𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 – 𝗖𝗼. 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗼 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Another weekend, another triathlon for OTC! Four Olympians travelled to Hazelwood, Co. Sligo on Sunday to take on the Hazelwood Olympic Triathlon, and what a day it turned out to be—with every OTC athlete finishing on the podium in their category! 🏆👏

The race began with a stunning 1,500m swim in the warm waters of Lough Gill, where temperatures reached a balmy 21°C. Athletes then tackled a scenic but challenging 40km bike course around the lake, heading through Dromahair and into the surrounding hills before returning to Hazelwood. The day finished with a 10km run consisting of two laps along shaded forest trails. While billed as a flat run, there were certainly a few climbs to keep everyone honest!

A fantastic event organised by Sligo Triathlon Club, combining beautiful scenery with a challenging course and a brilliant atmosphere.

OTC Results:
• 🥉 Steven – 2:17:46 (6th Overall, 3rd M18–39)
• 🥉 Nuala – 2:45:02 (3rd Female Overall)
• 🥇 Emma – 2:50:09 (5th Female Overall, 1st F40–49)
• 🥈 Helen – 2:53:57 (6th Female Overall, 2nd F40–49)

A clean sweep of podium finishes is a fantastic achievement. Massive congratulations to all four Olympians on representing OTC so brilliantly! 💙🙌

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗻 – 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

A great turnout from OTC at the Two Provinces Triathlon National Series event in Lanesborough, Co. Longford, with club members competing across both the Sprint Triathlon and Aquabike events on a scorching summer's day ☀️💪

With temperatures climbing to around 26°C, athletes welcomed the refreshing 750m swim in Lough Ree before heading out on the rolling bike course towards Strokestown. The largely flat 5km run featured plenty of welcome water stations and hosepipe showers to help combat the heat before competitors crossed the line to collect their medal, water bottle and a well-earned serving of paella. 🥘

It was another fantastic event in a superb location, and OTC celebrated two age group podiums. Karen produced an excellent performance to finish 🥈 2nd in her Aquabike age category, while Desi, no stranger to the podium, added yet another 🥈 age group silver to his growing collection. 👏

OTC Results:
• 🥈 Karen (Aquabike) – 1:10:58
• Emma – 1:21:36
• Lucy – 1:23:35
• Helen – 1:24:21
• Joanne – 1:29:12
• David – 1:29:41
• Ciaran – 1:34:41
• 🥈 Desi – 1:48:45

A huge well done to everyone who raced and represented OTC so well in challenging conditions. Another brilliant weekend of National Series racing! 👏🔥