by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interview: Andrea Mauri, qualifier for the 2026 World Championship in Kona Hawaii
In a brief ceremony at City Hall on Thurday morning, Mayor Roberto Dipiazza and the city’s sports councillor, Elisa Lodi, honored triathletes Andrea and Moreno Mauri, two brothers whose ascent in one of endurance sport’s toughest disciplines has earned them a place on the world stage.
The recognition, delivered with what officials described as the city’s “most heartfelt congratulations,” comes as the brothers prepare for the 2026 Ironman World Championship, scheduled to take place in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii — a symbolic home of long-distance triathlon and a proving ground for elite athletes from around the world.
The Mauri brothers secured their spots thanks to standout performances during the Ironman weekend in Cervia on September 20 and 21, 2025. Andrea Mauri qualified by finishing seventh overall and second in his age category in the full Ironman distance, a grueling combination of a 3.8-kilometer swim, 180-kilometer bike ride, and a marathon. His brother, Moreno, earned third place overall and first in his age category in the Olympic-distance 5150 event, which includes a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40 kilometers of cycling, and a 10-kilometer run.
Triathlon, a sport that demands seamless transitions and mastery across swimming, cycling, and running, has grown steadily in Italy over the past decade, fueled by its appeal to athletes seeking both physical rigor and mental resilience. Kona, with its lava fields, ocean swells, and punishing winds, represents perhaps the most revered — and feared — setting in the sport.
Mayor Dipiazza praised the brothers not only for their competitive results but for representing Trieste on an international level. “Andrea and Moreno have achieved extraordinary goals in an exceptionally demanding discipline,” he said. “We wish them even greater success as they carry our city’s spirit to Hawaii.”
For the Mauri brothers, the road to Kona now stretches ahead in months of preparation, training, and discipline. But on Wednesday, as they stood beside Trieste’s civic leaders, the moment marked a quieter kind of victory: recognition from their hometown and the beginning of a journey toward the sport’s ultimate arena.
