Bocquet & O'Brien are 2026 Sprint National Champions

Two Provinces Triathlon played host to the 2026 Sprint Distance National Championships on Saturday, 11th July. The 2025 Race of the Year is always an outstanding day of sport – and this year’s iteration certainly delivered.

The majority of Ireland’s top international triathletes lined out on the day, providing a morning of exceptional draft-legal racing on the fast and flat course.

Round 10 of the Triathlon National Series also delivered exceptional action on the sprint distance course, also hosting the age group sprint national championships for each age category.

We’ve a gallery of images at the bottom of this article, and a second one at the link below!

Mathys Bocquet on form

In the Open Draft-Legal event, World University Games bound Mathys Bocquet displayed form to win in the closing kilometre. A stacked field saw large representation from the National Triathlon Centre at UL, all vying for a chance at the Sprint National Championship title.

Out of the swim, Galway TC’s Jonathan Oakey led the way, with a 9 second gap to clubmate Senan McDonnell. With Oakey and McDonnell working together on the bike, the chase was on for Predator TC’s Mathys Bocquet and Wicklow TC’s Archie Bremner behind them. The second chase pack contained Piranha TC’s Sean McMahon alongside Pearse Gallagher, Evan Tosh, Sean Carragher and Oliver Duffield.

Coming out of T2 and onto the fast run course, Senan McDonnell and Jonathan Oakey had a 30 second gap to Bremner and Bocquet.

Mathys Bocquet showed his run form to pass Senan McDonnell in the closing stages, putting in 16:09 for the fastest 5k of the day and sealing the 2026 Sprint National Championship title. Senan McDonnell was second in 57:07 and Jonathan Oakey third in 57:31.

O'Brien retains title

Wicklow TC’s Emma O’Brien held on to her title first won in 2025 with a convincing performance.

Junior athletes Hannah Kennedy and Chloe Young led the swim into T1, with Emma O’Brien and Eve Burns 10 seconds behind them. A quick transition saw O’Brien form a group with Kennedy in the opening kilometre of the bike and the pair worked together until the 15 kilometre mark. Emma O’Brien then pushed ahead and over the closing kilometres forged a 15 second gap. Behind them Chloe Young was next on the road with Pulse TC’s Aimee Carr, South Coast’s Izabella Chidlow and Eve Burns a minute behind her.

O’Brien pushed forward on the run, coming home quickest of the field in 18:42 for five kilometres and holding on to her Sprint National Championship title (1:02:53).

Hannah Kennedy was second in 1:04:35 and Chloe Young third in 1:07:22.

Gallagher and Kennedy win junior championships

Taking part within the draft-legal Sprint National Championship race, the junior contenders were in the mix throughout with the titles being won by Pearse Gallagher and Hannah Kennedy.

Junior Female Podium

1. Hannah Kennedy
2. Chloe Young
3. Eve Burns

Junior Open Podium

1. Pearse Gallagher
2. Oliver Duffield
3. Evan Tosh

First series wins of the year for Hegarty & Wyer

With Round 10 of the Triathlon National Series taking place in Lanesboro, we are officially over the halfway mark of the 18 race series.

Marking their opening victories of the series, podium regulars Denis Hegarty (Tralee TC) and Aisling Wyer (Naas TC) won the open and female races respectively.

FEMALE PODIUM

1. Aisling Wyer – Naas TC
2. Sarah Diamond – Wicklow TC
3. Deirdre Casey – Cork TC

MALE PODIUM

1. Denis Hegarty – Tralee TC
2. Ciaran Kyne – Piranha TC
3. Leo Corry – Belpark TC