There was great excitement in Ballyhar and at Muckross Rowing Club last weekend as local rower Cillian Leslie represented Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprints in Cadiz, Spain.

Cillian was part of a 16-strong Irish squad competing at the event, which featured top Under-19 athletes from 16 European countries. The Coupe de la Jeunesse is one of Europe’s leading junior rowing competitions, and the Beach Sprints are a new format added in recent years ahead of its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Competing in the Men’s Single category, Cillian advanced from the first time trial with a 10th-place ranking before recording the fastest time in the second round. He progressed to the knockout stage but was narrowly beaten by Austria’s Janis Glantschnig in the final 16.
Muckross Rowing Club described his performance as an “outstanding achievement,” noting that Cillian had represented both club and country with distinction.
Cillian, the son of David and Melissa Leslie from Ballyhar, earned his place on the Irish team following a strong performance in Rowing Ireland’s national trial series earlier this year.