Athy teen to fly the flag at European Triathlon Championships

AN Athy teenager is travelling to Austria next month to compete in the European Triathlon Championships after qualifying from the National Championships in Loughrea, Co Galway earlier this month.

Darragh Lazenby from Grangemellon is still only 16-years-of-age and about to enter 5th Year in Coláiste Lorcain in Castledermot, yet he still rises at 4.15am three mornings a week (along with one of his incredible parents Trevor and Noelle) to make it to St Fiach’s Swimming Club by 5am.

“I am going to represent Ireland in the u-18 Sprint Triathlon (400m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run) in Kitzbuhel, Austria between 12-14 September,” said Darragh, a member of Athy Triathlon Club, and coached by local man Niall Foley.

“Yes, it will be chilly!” he smiled, acknowledging it Alpine location more known for downhill skiing.

“Not like Bagnoles in Spain last year. I had qualified but I didn’t race, because of a bike crash two weeks before,” he said, acknowledging some of the risks he must face to chase his dream.

The Kildare Nationalist asked how he fancied his chances, but all he could say was: “I’ve no idea where I am against any of the other lads across the continent”.

“I don’t like to compare times, because every course is different, and one might be more downhill, and conditions on the day are always different,” he said.

“We are very proud of Darragh,” said Club PRO Rob O’Brien.

“He’s been with us since he was 10 years of age, and we’ve seen him grow from a little fella into the man he is now.

“We’ve got a great junior section, probably the best in the country.

“Darragh cycles with the seniors, and none of us can keep up!

“He’s a great young fella with huge ability, and we’ll have to keep him going, push him through,” said Rob.

Unsurprisingly, Darragh has a summer job as lifeguard in Athy Swimming Pool, although is not yet beach-qualified.

“”You can’t go too far in a 25m pool!” he joked.

Darragh admitted swimming is “probably my strongest”, however he also competes in middle distance running for St Abban’s AC from Crettyard, in Co Laois.

“I sawm competitively before triathlons, but I have become a bit of a runner since,” he said.

“What makes me strong is I’m consistent over all three disciplines, and I don’t have a worst. That brought me to the National Championships in Loughrea earlier this month [3 August.

“You can tell I’m a distance runner, I like road racing and the 3,000m on the track.

“I was 4th in Leinster in the 1,500m and qualified for the Nationals but I didn’t run.

“In swimming I came second in the 5km Open Water at the Nationals, and 5th in the 1,500m in the pool for my age,” he revealed.

However, it is not without it pitfalls, and Darragh had to sit out a stress fracture for three months after running a 3k road race in Armagh in February.

“No rehab, no nothing. Just drink yer milk!” he laughed.

“I was lucky, I could swim and cycle so long as there was no impact,” he noted.

“Sometimes you do question getting up at stupid o’clock four times a week before school, and I could swim between 3.5 and 6kms in two hours before school – and once again on Saturday morning!” Noting the distances swim, The ***Kildare Nationalist*** wondered if there was a whiff of Wiffen with Darragh. (Daniel Wiffen was the Irish gold medallist in the 1,500m at the 2024 Paris Olymics.) “I’m not sure I’m that level yet, but you never know. There’s many years in the sport to come,” he said.

And what about scholarships to American universities?

“I’m not looking for a US swim school, but I would look at the National Triathlon Centre in UL, or maybe somewhere in the UK,” he said.

“I have raced in Nottingham before, and I’m off next week to Eton to race in the UK Super Series.

“The level of athletics is so much higher over there, so you get pushed much harder,” he said.

We wished him all the luck, before asking how close is he to ***On Her Majesty’s Secret Service***. (Ozzie actor George Lazenby was a one-off Bond in this.) “A lot of people ask,” he chuckled, “but in case you’re wondering, no relation”.