EQUESTRIAN
SHOWJUMPING TEAM BOOK TICKET TO LA28
Ireland booked their place at the LA28 Olympic Games after finishing seventh in the team final at the FEI World Showjumping Championships in Aachen.
Under the guidance of Chef d’Équipe Jessica Kürten, the Irish team of Darragh Kenny with Eddy Blue, Bertram Allen with Qonquest De Rigo, Cian O’Connor with Chatolinue PS and Shane Sweetnam with the Irish Sport Horse James Kann Cruz climbed from 10th to 7th place to secure the all-important qualification spot.
On what proved a difficult and dramatic evening for many of the world’s leading combinations, Ireland delivered when it mattered most. Despite the withdrawal of Darragh Kenny’s Eddy Blue earlier in the day, the remaining three Irish combinations each recorded just a single pole down, adding four faults apiece to the team score.
Ireland finished on a final tally of 23.69, enough to claim the qualification position and secure a place at the 2028 Olympic Games. The showjumpers now join Ireland’s Eventing team, who secured their own LA28 qualification with a fourth-place finish in Aachen last Sunday.
CYCLING
GILLESPIE SPRINTS TO TOUR OF BRITAIN PODIUM
Irish champion Lara Gillespie produced an impressive finish to claim second place on the fifth and final stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women.
The 123.8km stage, which started and finished in Royal Leamington Spa, came down to a bunch sprint where Gillespie showed her strength and determination to surge through in the closing metres.
Dutch star Lorena Wiebes of Team SD Worx-Protime claimed her fourth stage victory in five days to underline her dominance throughout the race, while Gillespie fought her way past Chiara Consonni of CANYON//SRAM with a powerful final kick to secure the runner-up position.
The result capped an excellent week for UAE Team L’IMAD, who consistently featured among the leading riders across all five stages. Gillespie, Karlijn Swinkels and Eleonora Gasparrini all recorded strong performances as the team regularly placed riders inside the top 10.
SAILING
SILVER SUCCESS FOR WRIGHT AT YOUTH WORLDS
Irish sailor Sienna Wright claimed a superb silver medal at the ILCA 6 Youth World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.
Representing Howth Yacht Club, Wright established herself among the championship contenders from the opening races and remained in medal contention throughout a challenging series that featured shifting and demanding conditions.
The Irish sailor recorded four race victories during an outstanding week and gradually helped turn the championship into a two-way battle with Greece’s Hermione Ghicas.
While Ghicas eventually secured the world title, Wright wrapped up the silver medal position with a race to spare.
GYMNASTICS
VALUABLE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE FOR IRISH GYMNASTS
At the 2026 European Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb, Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan made his return to the European stage following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, finishing seventh in the Pommel Horse final with a score of 14.166.
Teammate Eamon Montgomery also finished seventh in the Floor final, scoring 13.533 in what was his first-ever European Championship apparatus final.
Ireland’s junior gymnasts also delivered historic performances. Robert Ward and Finlay Hazelton secured places in the Vault final at their first European Junior Championships, finishing fourth and seventh respectively with scores of 13.416 and 13.116.
Ward’s championships concluded with a 22nd-place finish in the European Junior All-Around final, posting a total score of 71.031. His highest apparatus score came on Vault, where he recorded 13.600.
BADMINTON
NGUYEN COMPETES AGAINST WORLD NUMBER FOUR AT BADMINTON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen produced a superb performance at the 2026 BWF World Championships, pushing fourth seed Anders Antonsen to the limit in a thrilling last-32 encounter.
Nguyen edged a dramatic opening game 23-21 against the Danish star, but Antonsen, a four-time World Championship medallist, responded to take the second game 21-19 and force a decider.
The Irish Olympian came agonisingly close to a famous victory in the third game, holding two match points at 20-18. Antonsen saved both opportunities and moved ahead 21-20, but Nguyen showed tremendous determination to level the score at 21-all.
After 102 minutes of high-quality badminton, Antonsen held his nerve to win the final two points and secure his place in the last 16, bringing an end to Nguyen’s impressive championship run.
