Alan Ryan Elected as Europe Triathlon Vice-President​

Triathlon Ireland President Alan Ryan has been elected as Vice-President of Europe Triathlon, continuing Ireland’s long tradition of representation on the international multisport stage.

The elections took place on Saturday, 22nd March as part of the Europe Triathlon Annual General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey. Ireland has four candidates nominated for election, three of whom were successful in the election. Alan Ryan as Vice-President, Anna Grealish has been elected to the Development Committee, and Triathlon Ireland Board Member Maxine Strain has been appointed to the Women’s Committee. Triathlon Ireland Board Member Ian Haseldine was also up for election, narrowly missing out on joining the Technical Committee.

Triathlon Ireland CEO Darren Coombes discussed Ireland’s success at these important elections:

“I am incredibly proud that Triathlon Ireland continues our strong tradition of leadership, shaping the future of triathlon in Europe. Congratulations to all the newly appointed candidates – Triathlon Ireland is here to support you in every step of your journey.”

Alan Ryan is excited for the months ahead;

“I am delighted to have been elected as VP of Europe Triathlon. I wish to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the board of Triathlon Ireland (TI) for having the confidence and trust in me to nominate me for the position. Also, thank you to the European Federations for the vote of confidence in me to help bring Europe Triathlon forward to new heights. This election is a testament to the hard work done by the staff and board of TI and shows the esteem in which TI is held in European triathlon circles.”

Anna Grealish has been re-elected to the Development Committee;

“I am delighted to be re-elected onto the Development Committee. I have built good relationships over the last four years with the National Federations and I look forward to working with them again. The new strategic direction of Europe Triathlon will shape the future of how we work with the National Federations and this is both a challenging and exciting time for development in Europe. I would like to thank Darren, Alan and the TI board for their support and continued encouragement in my role with the Development Committee.”

Triathlon Ireland Board Member Maxine Strain rejoins the Women’s Committee;

“I’m incredibly honoured to continue serving on the Europe Triathlon Women’s Committee for another four years. Over the past 18 months, we’ve undertaken a deep review of gender balance across participation, coaching, officiating, and leadership throughout Europe’s national federations. Through data analysis and focus groups, we’ve built a clearer picture of both the challenges and the progress across the continent. Our next phase is about action, setting meaningful goals and delivering targeted education, support, collaboration, and mentoring to help every federation create more equitable opportunities for women in triathlon. As I have mentioned before, I would not be in a position to contribute to an area that I am passionate about, without the continued support of Triathlon Ireland. I am immensely grateful.”

Both Anna Grealish and Maxine Strain are graduates of the Women in Sport Leadership course, and since graduating have given a huge amount back to the sport in leadership and volunteer roles, as well as being role models for leaders in sport. This popular course is organised and funded by Sport Ireland in partnership with NGBs, and demonstrates the direct impact that this important funding is having on the future of our sport.