TRIATHLON
Triathlon is an endurance sport that combines swimming, road cycling and distance running, performed in that order.
Events are conducted over a variety of distances but the ‘Olympic distance’ for men and women is a 1,500-metre swim, 40km bike rideand 10km run.
The sport developed in the United States during the 1970s and became part of the Olympic programme at the Sydney 2000 Games, when more than half a million spectators lined the city streets to cheer the athletes.
As well as individual men’s and women’s events an exciting development for Tokyo 2020 is the inclusion of a new mixed relay, with teams of two men and two women competing over a short-course triathlon (300m swim, 8km bike, 2km run) before tagging a teammate to set off.
National Federation: Triathlon Ireland
International Federation: International Triathlon Union
TRIATHLON NEWS
PERFORMANCE ROUND UP – May 2026
A Month of Milestones, Momentum and Major Performances Team Ireland athletes delivered a powerful run of results across May and early June, producing historic wins, breakthrough performances and consistent podium finishes on the world stage. From Diamond League history in Shanghai to Nations Cup victory in Italy, and from European medals on the water to [...]
In The News – May 18th 2026
Athletics Mark English made history with a landmark performance in the 800m, surging to victory in a meeting record time of 1:43.85 at the Shanghai Diamond League. The Donegal athlete becomes the first Irish male to win a Diamond League race, adding his name to a growing list of Irish winners on the circuit alongside [...]
LA28 Qualification Dates in 2026
ROAD TO LA ALREADY UNDERWAY! 2026 marks the beginning of the qualification journey for many sports as they look ahead to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. Qualifying for the Games, which take place from 14–30 July 2028, is challenging across all disciplines. Most sports require either direct qualification through specific events, qualification via [...]
Istanbul 2027 European Games
A Key Step on the Road to LA28 The 4th European Games will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from 16 to 27 June 2027, one year out from the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. For Team Ireland, Istanbul represents a significant moment in the LA28 cycle: a major competitive platform, a qualification opportunity across multiple [...]
SELECTED ATHLETES
Aileen Reid (nee Morrison)
BIOGRAPHY Aileen Morrison represented Ireland in the women's triathlon at two Olympic Games - London 2012 and Rio 2016. Born in Derry, she trained as a physical education teacher before turning professional and is a member of North West Triathlon Club. A former Northern Ireland cross country champion who also won a medal at the [...]
Bryan Keane
BIOGRAPHY Bryan Keane represented Ireland in the men's triathlon at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, finishing 40th with a time of 1:52:09. At 35, he was the oldest competitor in the men's triathlon field. His route to Rio spanned 24 years and included a serious setback in September 2010, when he was struck by a [...]
Gavin Noble
BIOGRAPHY Gavin Noble is an Irish Olympian and former professional triathlete who represented Ireland at the London 2012 Olympic Games, becoming the first Irish male triathlete to qualify for the Olympic Games. Across a career spanning more than a decade, Noble competed on the ITU World Triathlon Series and World Cup circuit, representing Ireland at [...]
Carolyn Hayes
BIOGRAPHY Carolyn Hayes represented Ireland in the women's triathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, finishing 23rd. Hayes came to elite triathlon late, having first taken up the sport at 25 while studying medicine at the University of Limerick. Before triathlon she had represented Ireland in water polo and played hockey, and had completed the [...]
Russell White
BIOGRAPHY Russell White represented Ireland in the men's individual triathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. His qualification story was one of the most dramatic of the Tokyo cycle - he raced in five competitions across five weeks on three different continents, and only secured his place when Denmark's Andreas Schilling withdrew through injury, moving [...]