The final major championships of the European triathlon season head to Melilla, Spain, where the Europe Triathlon Youth Championships will bring together some of the continent’s most promising young athletes for three days of competition.
With semi-finals, finals and mixed relay racing on the programme, the championships offer a final opportunity for Europe’s emerging talents to make their mark on the international stage. More than 60 female athletes will contest the women’s competition, with the men’s field equally eager to finish the season on a high.
Women’s semi-finals
Semi-Final One
Slovenia’s Maša Marković headlines the opening semi-final, wearing bib number one after claiming bronze at the World Triathlon Development Cup in Vlasina Lake. Switzerland’s Noemi Badrutt is among those looking to challenge her, having narrowly missed the podium with fourth place in Wels before gaining valuable championship experience in Pontevedra.
Great Britain’s Emma Graham-Brown also arrives with strong credentials. She competed in Pontevedra and enjoyed a successful July as part of the British team that won gold in the Junior Mixed Relay Championships in Elblag.
Belgium’s Clara Robert will be looking to build on a consistent season, with fifth place in Holten her best result to date. Estonia’s Evamaria Albert has already demonstrated her podium potential, claiming bronze in Chisinau before adding a top-10 finish in Jurmala.
Turkey’s Ayşe Simay Sahan is another athlete with a medal to her name this season, having taken bronze in Izvorani in July. She will be aiming to turn that success into a challenge for gold in Melilla, while Austria’s Lea Polak looks to convert a series of promising performances into her first podium finish.
Great Britain’s Sophie Richmond has made just one European appearance this season, finishing inside the top 10 in Quarteira in March. France’s Ambre Ugolini brings greater recent experience, having most recently raced in Wels. She also finished 12th at last year’s Youth Championships in Kitzbühel.
Host nation Spain will be represented by Mireia Caldentey Ramón, one of several Spanish athletes set to make their debut in Melilla. With home support behind her, she will be looking to make the most of her first appearance at the championships.
Semi-Final Two
Hungary’s Korinna Katona leads the second semi-final after an impressive September campaign. Victory in the City of Derry was followed by silver in Zagreb, giving her considerable momentum heading into Melilla.
Great Britain’s Kitty Scott will also be one to watch. A member of the gold-medal-winning British mixed relay team in Elblag, Scott has also claimed bronze in Quarteira. With international podium experience already established, she will be targeting another strong performance.
Croatia’s Korina Juranić is continuing to develop on the international circuit, with her best result so far coming at the Balkan Championships in June, where she finished inside the top 20.
Belgium’s Lia Depre arrives on the back of bronze in Jurmala, while Switzerland’s Aimie Decrausaz has enjoyed an impressive Junior Cup campaign. She claimed silver in both Carole and Wels and will be aiming to carry that form into the championships.
Italy’s Emi Accorsi will line up in bib number 30 after making her Junior Cup debut in Chisinau earlier this year. Poland’s Alicja Gurdziołek, meanwhile, will be looking to improve on her performance at last year’s championships in Kitzbühel. She has not raced internationally since competing in Olsztyn in May.
Spain’s Celia De Llago García also features in the second semi-final, alongside compatriot Adriana Solanes Valero, who is set to make her international debut in Melilla.
Semi-Final Three
Romania’s Tunde Georgiana Crisan leads the third semi-final after a standout season featuring multiple podium finishes. She won gold in the mixed relay in Izvorani and claimed victory at the World Triathlon Development Cup in Gallipoli. Silver in the Junior Women’s race in Izvorani and another runner-up finish at the Development Cup in Mamaia further underline her credentials.
Switzerland’s Kimey Casanova also arrives in excellent form. She claimed bronze at the World Triathlon Championships in Pontevedra, joining two other European athletes on the podium. Her season has also featured gold in Wels and bronze at the Junior Sprint Championships in Elblag. With that experience behind her, she will be aiming to add a European youth title to her growing list of achievements.
Hungary’s Petra Bán has enjoyed success on the Europe Triathlon Junior Cup circuit, winning the first gold medal of her career in Tábor in July. Fellow Hungarian Miléna Kovács starts close behind, having recorded her strongest result of the season in Izvorani.
Slovakia’s Laura Dugovičová will be looking to build on a breakthrough performance in Bled, where she won the final Junior Cup race of the season to secure the first international triathlon victory of her career. Italy’s Alice Ventre also brings podium experience, having claimed bronze in Izvorani.
France’s Amélie Piazza completes the leading names to watch. She made an immediate impression on her European Cup debut in Jurmala, taking silver and announcing herself as a contender to follow in Melilla.
With proven medal-winners, athletes building on breakthrough seasons and international newcomers all in the field, the women’s semi-finals promise an intriguing start to the championships.
Men’s semi-finals
Semi-Final One
Aleksei Petrovskii leads the opening men’s semi-final, taking bib number one after winning bronze at the Asia Triathlon Cup in Cholpon-Ata. Having last raced at the Junior Sprint Championships in Elblag in July, he will be looking to return to competition strongly and secure his place in the final.
Lithuania’s Kristupas Jančius starts just behind him after claiming silver in the Junior Cup in Moletai. He will be hoping to carry that momentum into Melilla and take another step forward on the international stage.
Switzerland’s Andrin Gallert brings valuable championship experience after competing in Pontevedra last month. Fellow Swiss athlete Albert Håkansson also has a strong record at this level, having won mixed relay gold at last year’s Youth Championships in Kitzbühel.
Italy’s Jacopo Mapelli narrowly missed out on a podium in Tábor, finishing fourth. With only two races under his belt this season, he will be keen to turn that near-miss into a medal in Melilla.
Malta’s Liam Daly is another athlete with valuable experience, having won gold at the Age Group Championships in Tarragona before narrowly missing the podium in Pontevedra. The Youth Championships will provide a different challenge as he takes on a field of athletes competing outside the age-group category.
Several athletes will make their international debuts in the opening semi-final, including Afonso Silva, Gaulthier Chastang, Dawid Janus and Ollie Squire. Each will have the opportunity to test themselves against Europe's emerging talent and make an early impression on the championship stage.
Semi-Final Two
Ukraine’s Zakhar Tsivkovskyi heads the second semi-final after claiming bronze in Chisinau. A top-10 finish in Moletai has added further consistency to his season, and he will be looking to build on those results as he targets another podium in Melilla.
Turkey’s Yağız Sarıkaya is also in contention after finishing fourth in Chisinau. Having come close to the medals, he will be determined to take the next step and challenge for a podium finish this time around.
Israel’s Yishai Hendel brings mixed relay experience to the start line after helping his team secure bronze in Carole in May. He will now be looking to translate that success into a strong individual performance.
Belgium’s Laurent Kral made his international debut in Jurmala and will be aiming to build on that experience as he targets a place in the final. Fellow Belgian Arcan Vanoverschelden starts just ahead of him and will be looking to improve on his performance at the same event in August.
Spain’s Miquel Ferragud Borrás will also have the home crowd behind him as he makes his debut in Melilla. The opportunity to compete on home soil will add an extra dimension to his championship experience as he looks to make his mark.
Semi-Final Three
Estonia’s Kalmer Kiiver leads the third semi-final after claiming gold in Moletai. With a Junior Cup victory already secured this season, he will be aiming to carry that winning form into Melilla and book his place in the final.
Alexey Uzikov and Belgium’s Emile Vanolst start just behind him, wearing bibs 56 and 57 respectively. Vanolst arrives after a busy spell of racing that included an appearance in Pontevedra and a finish just outside the medals in Zagreb the previous week. That recent competition experience could prove valuable as he looks to progress.
Hungary’s Csaba Izsák also raced in Zagreb, while his best result of the 2026 season came in Tiszaújváros, where he finished sixth. Poland’s Igor Wereszczyński starts just behind him after making his international debut in Carole earlier this year, gaining his first experience of the semi-final format.
Great Britain’s Jamie Lonergan is another athlete looking to build on his first international season, having recorded a top-20 finish in the City of Derry.
Czechia’s Ondřej Plič has raced only once this year, producing a solid performance in Tábor. However, he already knows what it takes to compete at the Youth Championships, having finished inside the top 30 in Kitzbühel last year. That experience could be an advantage as he looks to progress through the semi-finals.
Austria’s Felix Feichter has contested three Junior Cup races this season, with his best finish coming in Bled at the final event of the series. He will be aiming to build on that experience and deliver another strong performance.
Great Britain’s Ben Allen and France’s Valentin Lepers round out the newcomers to watch, with both set to make their international debuts at the championships. For the pair, Melilla offers an opportunity to measure themselves against some of Europe's most promising young triathletes and gain valuable experience on the international stage.
Full start lists can be viewed here.
