Morton Mile fireworks fused and ready to light!

The grand finale of Friday night’s Morton Games will be the iconic Morton mile. This year’s mile is possibly the most eagerly awaited in years. There will be fireworks!

From an Irish perspective it looks like it will be a race for the ages. Cathal Doyle has been in simply superb form these last weeks, he enjoyed two victories on the European circuit and at nationals became the 3 in the row 1500 champion and with his selection now confirmed for the Paris Olympic Games he will be full of confidence lining up for his home race before the Clonliffe crowd.

Brian Fay, from next door neighbour club Raheny Shamrocks will, it can be guaranteed, be right there. Fay unleashed an unbelievable 54 second last lap in the national 5000 to destroy the field, and boasting a 3.52.03 mile best, on paper he may have the edge.

The other lead Irish contenders, one would assume, will be Darragh McElhinney and Charlie O’Donovan. There will be great interest in the performance of Efrem Gidey over the mile distance, we are more accustomed to seeing him race over 5000 and 10,000, he will have the strength but will he have the speed?

The USA as always in the Morton mile is well represented. There are some superb milers in the field. The 2024 and 2022  NCAA 1500 champion Joe Waskom with a 3.51.90 pb has enjoyed a stellar year, he qualified for the US Olympic trials final finishing in 7th position. Luke Houser is also a double NCAA champion indoors having won the 1500 title this year and last year, on Sunday he won the unique Croke Park Grass Mile, before some 60,000 hurling fans!.

Making his return to Morton Games after some 6 years is the 2018 Morton mile winner Sam Prakel. Prakel has the fastest mile PB in the field, 3.50.94, in 2023 he was one of the most dominant athletes in the United States winning both the US indoor 1500 and 3000 titles.

Making this a true international race are Adam Spencer (AUS), who was runner-up in last year’s Morton mile. This year Spencer has won the Australian 1500 champion and also ran a 3.52.70 pb and was selected for the Australian team for the Olympic Games. Piers Copeland (GBR) it is the British 2024 1500 indoor champion, he has a 3.54.91 mile PB. Abdellatif Sadik (MOR) was a semifinalist in the Tokyo Olympic Games where he ran his PB over 1500 of 3.33.59 and Mohad Abdikadar (ITA) who has clocked a 3.33.79 over 1500.

Fireworks guaranteed!!