'Phenomenal' Kilkenny athlete wins medal at European Championships

Ireland’s Ben Brennan, from Mooncoin in South Kilkenny has reason to celebrate this week after the local athlete won bronze at the European Youth Weightlifting Championships in Madrid, Spain.

Brennan secured the accolade in the male U60kg weight category, earning the medal on his second attempt in Clean & Jerk, lifting 135kg successfully.

His medal winning effort was just over 2.25 times his own bodyweight as he weighed in at 59.91kg just two hours earlier. 

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This is the first time that an Irish athlete has won a medal at U17 level at a European Championships. Brennan came achingly close to 138kg on his third attempt, in an attempt at a new European Youth record and a silver medal. 

He cleaned the bar and stood up with it, Jerked it overhead, but just wasn’t quite able to secure it. 

Brennan wasn’t aware that he had won the medal until after his third attempt and couldn’t contain his emotion when he was told by team coaches Harry Leech and Claire McLarnon that he had won a bronze medal.

"Ben is a phenomenal athlete and a credit to his coaches and to his own hard work and determination. We knew he was in with a chance for a medal today and we’re delighted that his hard work paid off," said Irish team coach Harry Leech.

Weightlifting Ireland has had previous medal success at U15 level (Callum Quinn, bronze medal at European U15 Championships, 2023), U23 level (Keilin Coleman, Bronze medal at European U23 Championships 2023) and Senior level (Tham Nguyen, bronze medals in 2023 & 2024).

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