Ilona Hadhoum and Nils Serre Gehri crowned U23 triathlon world champions in Pontevedra

France’s Ilona Hadhoum and Nils Serre Gehri dominated their respective U23 world championship races in Pontevedra, Spain. Hadhoum claimed the second world title of her young career, following her junior crown in 2023, beating fellow Frenchwoman Léa Houart by more than a minute. The men’s race also went to France as Nils Serre Gehri completed a memorable day for the national team.

Year after year, France’s talent pool in Olympic-distance triathlon seems inexhaustible. That was clear again on 25 September, when Ilona Hadhoum and Nils Serre Gehri won the U23 World Championships.

The women’s race got underway at 3:35 p.m. on a sunny Friday afternoon. Ilona Hadhoum took control from the start and was the first athlete to complete the opening lap of the 1,500-metre swim. She held her position through the second lap, exiting the water at the front ahead of her teammate and reigning junior world champion, Léa Houart.

Eleven women break away on the bike

An early breakaway formed over the 40-kilometre bike leg, with Britons Bethany Cook and Eve Whitaker joining the two Frenchwomen. Seven more athletes bridged across, including Canadian Sidney Clement, the U23 Pan American silver medallist, and Slovakian Margareta Vrablova, taking the lead group to 11.

The gap between the leaders and the chasers held at around 50 seconds before beginning to grow. By the end of the bike leg, it had settled at just over 1:10. Among those dropped were the third Frenchwoman, Ambre Grasset, the 2024 junior world champion, and American Naomi Ruff, the top seed and U23 Pan American champion.

A final 10K in 32:56

Impeccable transitions sent Hadhoum and Houart out first onto the 10-kilometre run. Hadhoum immediately began to pull away. Her nine-second lead at the first timing point had grown to 17 seconds by the end of the opening lap. One lap later, she was already 37 seconds clear of her teammate. Hadhoum never let up, celebrating as she entered the stadium and completing her 10K in 32:56.

I don’t have the words to describe this win. I didn’t attack at the start of the run. I felt good and settled into a rhythm that suited me. I didn’t want anyone alongside me. I counted the laps one by one. It was a little tough at the start of the fourth lap, but then I was able to ease off and enjoy the win. After the junior title, now an U23 title. Maybe one day it will be an elite title…
Ilona Hadhoum 2026 U23 World Champion

Léa Houart crossed the line 1:15 later, a huge margin over this distance, capping an impressive move from the junior ranks to U23.

I’m happy with my race. Ilona thoroughly deserved the win. I put together the best race I could. I gave it everything and delivered a complete performance. I’m delighted. Last year I was junior world champion; this year I’m second in the U23s. I’ve confirmed my level. The work is paying off. It’s incredible to have raced alongside Ilona. I swam on her feet and then rode the whole bike leg with her. We encouraged each other. There were four of us in the break at the start of the bike. We tried to push to maintain our advantage, but the group behind caught us. Ilona was stronger than me on the run.
Léa Houart2026 U23 World Championship silver medallist

Women’s top five

1) Ilona Hadhoum (France): 1:58:11

2) Léa Houart (France): 1:59:26

3) Sidney Clement (Canada): 2:01:06

4) Naomi Ruff (United States): 2:01:23

5) Bethany Cook (Great Britain): 2:01:30

Full U23 women’s results

Nils Serre Gehri completes a golden day for France

The sun was beginning to dip over Pontevedra, but French star Nils Serre Gehri was only just starting to shine. A few hours after compatriot Ilona Hadhoum progressed from former junior world champion to U23 world champion, Nils Serre Gehri claimed the U23 title himself, a logical sequel to his junior world crown in 2024. A blistering acceleration on the run made the difference and provided the highlight of his race.

It was an incredible day for me. I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better. The first swim lap was a little difficult, but fortunately I managed to stay with the leaders. Then I really had to push hard to make it into the front group. I tried to save some energy on the bike and, in the end, waited for the run.
Nils Serre Gehri2026 U23 World Champion

In a huge field of 69 men, a good start was essential. Hungary’s Zalán Hóbor posted the fastest opening lap and led the field into the second swim loop on the Lérez. American Carter Stuhlmacher then took over at the front before the swim exit.

A 13-man lead group formed out of the first transition. Exiting the water nine seconds behind Stuhlmacher, Serre Gehri made it into the group, as did Briton Michael Gar, a European Championship medallist, Spanish top seed and World Cup medallist Izan Edo Aguilar, and formidable Greek cyclist Panagiotis Bitados.

Bad luck soon struck Aguilar, who crashed on the bike alongside compatriot Pelayo González Turrez. The lead group then lost another member when Stuhlmacher was also dropped.

As the chasers closed in, the leaders tried to reorganize. Serre Gehri, alongside teammate Pablo Isotton and Norway’s Eirik Berling Grande, briefly moved to the front, but it was already too late. A large pack re-formed before the final run. A prospect that did not seem to worry the fast-running Serre Gehri in the slightest.

Serre Gehri masters the run

The Frenchman immediately took the lead out of T2. For a moment, it looked as if he might run away with the win just as Hadhoum had done a few hours earlier. But Briton Solomon Okrafo-Smart managed to close him down, while teammate Gar also began to make up ground and German Jaspar Ortfeld moved into the leading group at the end of the first lap.

With more and more contenders around him, Serre Gehri had to respond. He did so on the third lap. A vicious acceleration opened a first gap, and he turned the screw again. With one lap to go, Serre was 12 seconds clear at the front, extending his advantage to 21 seconds by the finish.

Fourth on his WTCS debut in Hamburg last July, the Frenchman had already shown the extent of his ability. Even so, the way he handled the pressure and pulled clear with such ease to claim the title was particularly impressive.

Behind Nils Serre Gehri’s perfectly controlled finish, the battle for the podium produced a far more frantic finale. Michael Gar held on to second ahead of Zalan Hobor. France’s Milan Lariviere finished 11th, with compatriot Pablo Isotton 14th.

Men’s top five

1) Nils Serre Gehri (France): 1:46:01

2) Michael Gar (Great Britain): 1:46:22

3) Zalan Hobor (Hungary): 1:46:24

4) Izan Edo Aguilar (Spain): 1:46:30

5) Solomon Okrafo-Smart (Great Britain): 1:46:34

Full U23 men’s results