Team Ireland delivered a strong performance at the 2025 European Paratriathlon Championships in Besançon, France, securing two bronze medals and multiple top-ten finishes in a highly competitive field.
The Irish squad featured seven athletes, including three guides, with representation across the PTS5 and PTVI categories. Among the highlights was another podium performance from Tom Williamson, who captured bronze in the men’s PTS5 category. Building on a silver medal at the World Triathlon Para Series in Taranto earlier in June, Williamson executed a courageous race plan in Besançon, delivering a strong swim and the fastest bike split of the day to secure third place and another major international podium.
There was also celebration in the women’s PTVI category as Judith MacCombe, guided by Eimear Nicholls, earned her first European Championship medal. The pair went out hard from the start, sustaining a relentless pace across all three disciplines to claim a well-deserved bronze. The performance marked a milestone in their partnership and underlined their potential as serious contenders in future major championships.
Judith’s twin sister and fellow Paralympian, Chloe MacCombe, made her European Championship debut with guide Aisling Wyer, finishing in a solid fifth place. Their performance added another layer of depth to Ireland’s strong PTVI contingent and hinted at exciting potential for the developing duo.
In the men’s PTVI category, Donnacha McCarthy and guide Sean Husband continued their string of consistent results with an eighth-place finish. The duo, who opened their 2025 season with a ninth-place result in Taranto, maintained their status as reliable top-ten performers on the international stage.
With two bronze medals and all three PTVI pairings finishing in the top eight, Team Ireland left Besançon with valuable ranking points, strengthened international standing, and growing momentum toward future Paralympic cycles.
