Nicholas Free and Kerry Morris have claimed the men’s and women’s titles at the 2026 Mooloolaba Triathlon, with both athletes dominating the fields on their way to the top step of the podium.
Both Free and Morris claimed their second Mooloolaba Triathlon titles on Sunday, with Free last taking the finish tape in 2023, while for Morris it was her first victory at the event since 2019.
Free crossed the line in 1:48:29, more than four minutes ahead of Jye Spriggs, with John Fothergill just behind in third, with Free leading the field from start to finish.
“It’s nice to finally get a win again, it’s been a while between drinks, I just had a couple of runs with injuries, it didn’t go my way, but it’s very good to be back in form and happy to take the win,” said Free, “It’s been a very happy hunting ground here over the past like four, five years now and I love coming back each time. Living in Brisbane, being able to drive an hour to a race is just a luxury, you don’t even have to pack the bike, you just put it in the back of the car and you’re ready to go.
“The swim was nice, and then the bike we had some rain on the way back and it was quite windy, but overall, you can’t really complain, it was a bit cooler than the last couple of times I’ve done it, so that’s always handy,” he said. “I feel like things are finally coming around, I’ve had a pretty good training block over the summer, it’s always hard to know where you’re at in a Brisbane summer because it’s so hot and everything is just tough, but I feel like today was a good performance, very solid all round, and I’m really excited. I race again next week at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong, and I’m excited to have a hit out there against some of the world’s best.”
Morris was also in dominant form in the women’s race, leading the way from the start gun to the finish line, covering the 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run in 2:04:19. Morris took the win in 2:04:19, an impressive seven minutes clear of Emily Donker in second, with Lauren Sprague in third.
“I’m on a high, it’s been quite a journey coming back from two kids, I knew it would be hard, but it’s really been tough, but every good journey has highs and lows, so I’m going to enjoy this high,” she said.
Morris was joined on the finish line by her family, sharing a special moment with her two young children as she took the win.
“It means everything, I also had my husband and my dad and mum, it’s like a whole team, like never before has there been so much of a team,” said Morris. “I’m so grateful for the people around me, because I couldn’t do anything without them.
“It was tough out on the bike, there was a like pretty heavy wind, but I like this hard bike, so I was happy to get out the front on the swim and that’s the way I like to race, just try and stay at the front for as long as I can. I was happy today that I managed to stay at the front the whole way through, on the run I can get a bit nervous because it’s my weakest leg, but I just tried to stay positive and using all the mental cues that I’ve developed through training and racing to keep me going.
“The support on course was absolutely phenomenal, I feel emotional because it was just the amount of people that were out there and the support and love from everyone was just incredible. This is one of the best races you can do in the world, I’ve travelled and raced around the world and the support you get here, and the professionalism of the race, is really up there.”
Sunday saw thousands of athletes take on the 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run before crossing the finish line on Mooloolaba Esplanade. More than 4,400 athletes were registered to take part in the 34th running of the Mooloolaba Triathlon.
Saturday featured the Sprint Triathlon, which offered a great opportunity for a mix of people to take part, whether they were a beginner keen for their first triathlon, or an experienced athlete who wants to race against the clock. The Sprint Triathlon consisted of a 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run.
The Mooloolaba Triathlon is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and through Sunshine Coast Council’s Major Events Sponsorship program.
For more on the Mooloolaba Triathlon visit mooloolabatri.com.au/
