Sports

IRONMAN Colombo in landmark return to Sri Lanka

26 Feb 2026 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Colombo kids at the start

Colombo came alive with energy, endurance and international sporting excellence as IRONMAN 70.3 successfully concluded on February 22 at the Port City Colombo.

The multi-day celebration transformed Colombo into a global hub for sport, wellness, and active lifestyles, welcoming athletes, families and spectators from 51 countries to Sri Lanka.

The race was officially flagged off by Sunil Gamage, Minister of Sports and Vraie Cally Balthazaar, Mayor of Colombo together with Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development.

The top male finishers were Niall McCarthy – Ireland – 03:38:27, Olivier Godart – United Arab Emirates – 03:38:28 and Joseph Cant – Great Britain – 03:41:26.

The top female overall winners were Ling Er Choo – Singapore – 04:04:35, Michelle Nagle – Ireland – 04:10:05 and Jenni Paglia – Italy – 04:15:22.

The fastest biker was Olivier Godart – United Arab Emirates – 2:06:42 and the fastest run was done by Niall McCarthy – Ireland – 1:27:44.

The first Sri Lankan finishers by gender were: Male – M. P. S. Ruwan Priyadharsana – Sri Lanka – 03:58:06 (Open Division) (9th Overall in male division) and Female – Deethri Samarajeewa – Sri Lanka – 04:46:44 (16th overall in female division)

The event programme began with the KAYA Wellness & Active Lifestyle Expo, held at Shangri-La Colombo from 19–21 February 2026, serving as the central hub of Colombo Active Week and bringing together wellness brands, fitness communities, and lifestyle experiences.

Young athletes took centre stage at IRONKIDS Colombo, held on February 21 at Port City Colombo, where children aged 3–14 experienced the excitement of crossing an official IRONMAN finish line in a safe, family-focused environment.

The event was inclusive, bringing together children from across the island, including Mullaitivu, farming communities and humanitarian organisations such as the Foundation of Goodness and Child Action Lanka.

The flagship IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo event followed on February 22 also staged at Port City Colombo, showcasing Colombo’s coastline and modern infrastructure to a global sporting audience.

IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo delivered the kind of finish that defines a truly competitive race day, with the men’s overall win at Port City Colombo decided by a single second with Niall McCarthy taking it in 3:38:27 and Olivier Godart immediately behind in 3:38:28 (gun time).

That razor-thin margin signals a full-gas race dynamic in which execution matters right to the finish, showing how exceptional the battle for first was.

On the women’s side, Ling Er Choo delivered a champion’s performance to take the win in 4:04:35, and importantly, she did it in Colombo for the third time, having previously won IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo in 2018 and 2019.

The event was organised by Serendib Multisport led by its directors, Yasas Hewage and Rajan Thananayagam. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to position Colombo as an internationally recognised active lifestyle destination and sports tourism hub.

With athletes travelling from around the world and drawing in spectators across race week, IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo reinforced Sri Lanka’s growing position on the international sports tourism calendar while promoting fitness, youth participation, and community engagement across the city. The event further demonstrated Colombo’s capability to host world-class endurance events aligned with global IRONMAN standards and urban active-city ambitions.