Photo of Cathal Doyle courtesy of Mark Kavanagh
Last night’s Morton Games was arguably the best to date. Perfect weather, a big enthusiastic crowd, rocking atmosphere and brilliant competition. The night produced 5 Stadium records, an Irish U/23 record, 13 sub- four-minute miles and a home win in the iconic Morton Mile.
Pre Program:
The meet started with the now staple of juvenile 4 x 200 mixed relays featuring clubs from the Dublin area. The U/10 race was won by Clonliffe Harriers, in the U/12 it was MSB and after this it was the Ratoath AC domination that took over with convincing wins in both the U/14 and U/16 races. Then it was the turn of the unique 16 x 100 relay, featuring an incredible 176 young athletes in the age groups U/10 to U/16 racing for 11 club teams and again it was Ratoath that topped the charts with a convincing win by all of 9 seconds in a time of 3.50.39.
There was an excellent race in the Jerry Kiernan Foundation women’s U/20 mile with Gemma Galvin (Ennis TC) winning a time of 4.53.73 from Eimear McCarroll (Finn Valley) in 2nd leading home the foster family – Lucy, 3rd, Kirsti 4th and Jodi 5th.
Sean Cronin successfully retained the Frank Murphy cup in the Jerry Kiernan Foundation men’s U/20 mile in a more tactical race in a time of 4.21.26, chased all the way home by Clonliffe clubmate Lorcan Benjacar 2nd and Jamie Byrne (DSD) 3rd.
Main program:
In the field events there were two superb throws competitions featuring world-class athletes. The men’s shot put, sponsored by Whiteford Geo Services, was simply superb as the existing Stadium record took a hammering. In round 2 Jordan Geist (USA) bettered the record to 21.64, he then extended that to 21.88 in round 4 and in the final round of the competition he threw a PB of 22.25, a Stadium record, meet record and Irish allcomers record. Chuk Enekwechi (Nigeria) also bettered the pre-competition Stadium record 3 times as he finished 2nd with a best of 21.52, Sweden’s Wictor Patterson finished 3rd with a best of 20.12.
At the same time the women’s discus competition sponsored by Last Lap Café, was running and again a brilliant competition which was won by Antonia Kinzel (GER), the world University champion, with a best of 59.12 which was a Morton games meet record. Jade Lally (GBR) on her 2nd visit to Morton Games placed 2nd with a best of 57.10 with Annesofie Hartmann Nielsen (DEN) taking 3rd with a best of 56.46.
Defending champion Urte Baikstyte (LTH) made a successful defence of her title winning the HyGo women’s high jump with a best of 1.86 from Una Stancev (ESP) 1.84 and Fedra Fekete (HUN), 1.81.
It was the inter-varsity Swedish mixed relay, sponsored by Decathlon the got the main track programme underway, it was a very exciting relay with DCU team of Niamh O’Neill, Ciaran Carthy, Jack Kelly and Caoimhe Cronin retaining the title in a time of 2.05.86 from University of Limerick and the DCU yellow team.
There were 2 Athletics Leinster men’s 100 races. Race 1 saw Timo Spiering (NED) win in a time of 10.61, with Irish pairing Paul Costello 2nd 10.66 and Runo Ayavoro 3rd 10.81. The eagerly awaited race 2 was an absolute cracker with Coby Hilton (USA) and JT Smith (USA) recording identical times of 10.30 and only separated by photo finish. Earl Simmonds (St. Vincent) took 3rd 10.36.
As expected Sarah Lavin lit up the arena bring the crowd to its feet in the Davy women’s 100 hurdles, on her last race on Irish soil before the Paris Olympic Games, with this year’s race producing the same one two as 2023, Sarah Lavin winning in 12.82 as once again Ebony Morrison (LBR) 12.92. 3rd place went to Talie Bonds (USA).
There a British One Two in the Loki Sports men’s 400, Alex Haydock-Wilson taking a fine win in a time of 45.54 from Sam Reardon 45.99 and Ireland’s Jack Raftery 46.44.
The meet at this stage switched to the 800s. First was the Irish life Dublin Marathon sponsored women’s events. The pacemaker did an excellent job setting the field up nicely for a sub- 2 minute race. Down the home straight it was an American battle where McKenna Keegan prevailed in a time of 1.59.82 from Paris bound Allie Wilson 2.00.48 and Ireland’s Louise Shanahan taking 3rd in a season’s best of 2.00.92.
There was then a simply extraordinary DCU men’s 800, fireworks were always expected in this race take into account the calibre of the field known predicted that a two second winning margin could possibly produce a new Stadium record. Edmund Du Plesis (RSA) had sat in behind the pacemaker and once the pacer pulled over he went even faster, hitting the top bend he had an unsurpassable lead, he did not in any way ease off but drove right through the line to demolish the Stadium record with a time of 1.44.22 which was also an Irish all comers record. Nathan Green (USA), who on Tuesday had won the Cork City mile clocked a new PB of 1.46.23 to take 2nd place with Britain’s Finley McLear 3rd 1.46.42.
The Albie Thomas men’s 5000, sponsored by Dublin Athletics and the Albie Thomas family, was once again a highlight of a night of highlights., Again it must be said the pacemaking was excellent as they hit the 3000 mark in 8.00 or thereabouts, it was the Kenyan pairing of Amos Langat and Matthew Kipkoech that led front, driving on the pace even more with Ireland’s Nick Griggs sitting, and it must be said looking very comfortable, on their shoulders. At 600 to go it was down to Langat and Griggs, it was some battle over the last Lap with the Kenyan winning, and shattering the existing Stadium record by 7 seconds to win in a new allcomers record 13.12.44. Griggs was rewarded for his bravery with a huge PB of 13.13.07 which was a new Irish U/23 record. Kipkeoch was 3rd in 13.18.4, Norwegian Per Svela also bettered the Stadium record take 4th place in 13.18.61.
The Bon Secours Hospital Dublin women’s 200 produced a lightning fast performance from South African Chane Vermeulen that produced a new Morton Games meet record – 23.19. Vermeulen was challenged off the final bend by Kristie Edwards (AUS), now becoming a Morton Games regular, however the South African pulled clear over the closing 50m, Edwards held 2nd position clocking up 23.49 with Lauren Rain James (USA) also breaking the 24 second barrier as she finished 3rd in 23.64.
Next up it was the men’s international invitational 4 x 100 relay, an event which had been put together and included in the programme to assist team Australia with their Paris Olympics preparations. It was the Australian team that really produced the goods as yet another Stadium and allcomers record was set that a blistering 38.98. The Irish selection finished 2nd and Irish U/20s 3rd.
With 2 races to go and as twilight started to set in still the magic still went on. The weather gods remained content, and although there had been some threatening rain clouds they passed over Santry without so much as a drop falling. It was then the athletes in the Fashionflo women’s 1500 who were sent underway by the starters gun. Again the pacemaker did an outstanding job taking the field to 800 in 2.10. The field continued their pursuit of the stadium record set by Sonia O’Sullivan on 12 June 1994 standing at 4.05.75. With 300 to go it was between Shannon Flockhart (GBR), Laura Nagel (NZL) and Nancy Cherop (KEN) at this stage, having been very much out of contention, Sophie O’Sullivan hit top gear to close on the lead trio dramatically, coming off the top bend O’Sullivan was right in it roared on by the crowd, Lockhart took the win in a new Morton Stadium record 4.04.98 with O’Sullivan 2nd 4.05.77, within 2 hundredths of a second of her mother’s record, and the young Kenyan 3rd place 4.06.04.
Finally at 9.00pm the Morton milers were led onto the track for the meet climax. They were introduced by the stadium announcer to an appreciative excited crowd for the 2024 Morton mile (sponsored by Behan & Associates, and Commercial Hygiene Services). With once again excellent pacemaking the field was quickly strung out in a long line, at the bell it was clear that this was going to be one of the fastest ever Morton miles, hitting the final bend it was 2018 Morton mile Champion Sam Prakle (USA) who struck first and it looked to be his race. Cathal Doyle had the support of the entire stadium and with his confidence skyhigh as a result of brilliant performances on the circuit of late, winning his 3rd national 1500 title and the small matter of Olympic selection, and he tore after Prakle with Brian Fay unleashing his dramatic finishing kick, it was Doyle who hit the front with maybe 50 to go to take a famous win for the organising club Clonliffe Harriers and to become the 1st Clonliffe Harrier winner of the Morton mile since Niall Bruton 25 years ago. Doyle’s winning in 3.52.06, the 2nd fastest winning time in history, Prakle was 2nd 3.52.32 with Fay 3rd, 3.52.41. There were PB’s throughout the field with a notable first sub- 4 by Cillian Kirwan, 3.58.83 as 13 sub fours were recorded.
And so with that a magical night of athletics came to an end. A sincere thank you to our partners, sponsors, supporters, all who came to Morton Stadium and of course to all the 2024 Morton Gamers.
Link to results: http://live.athleticsireland.ie/Morton/menu.html