All posts in Morton Games

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin T.D. today launched Morton Games International Track and Field Meet at a reception which was held in Buswells Hotel, Molesworth Street.

The attendees at the launch included Ciara Mageean, European 1500m bronze medallist from 2016, the Deputy Mayor of Fingal Councillor Adrian Henchy, Mr. John Treacy CEO of Sport Ireland, Ms. Georgina Drumm, President of Athletics Ireland and Paddy Marley, President of Clonliffe Harriers.

Speaking at the launch Minister Griffin said: “I am delighted that the 2017 Morton Games, which is now one of the premier international track and field events in the country, will once again provide our top Irish athletes with the chance to challenge themselves against some of the best athletes in the world.  It will also be a wonderful opportunity for athletes to prepare for the World Championships which take place in London in August.

The range of athletes taking part this year from across the globe shows the true extent of the organisational work involved.  I want to compliment and thank the organising committee for their hard work and commitment in putting together a truly international athletics Meet.  I am sure it will be a successful and exciting event once again.”

Morton Games International Athletics takes place in the Morton Stadium Santry on Wednesday July 12^th.  This will be an exciting night of athletics packed into a compact international programme from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.  In addition to Ciara Mageean in the Women’s 800 Rio Olympian Angie Petty (NZD) will race along with the winner of last year’s race Alex Bell (GBR), also confirmed is Adelle Tracey (GBR).  One of the feature races on the night will be the Men’s 400 hurdles with the confirmed participation of Ireland’s Thomas Barr, who was a 4^th place finisher in the Olympic Games in Rio.  Barr will face 2016 European silver medallist Sergio Fernandez (ESP) and former world champion Jehue Gordon (TTO).  The most famous race in Irish athletics, the Morton Mile, will be the feature race at 9 p.m. with a field packed with sub 4 minute milers including Kyle Merber (USA), Sam McEntee (AUS) and Daniel Herrera (MEX).

For further details see www.mortongames.ie.

The countdown to the biggest date in the Clonliffe year is well and truly on! Wednesday 4 weeks is Morton Games International Athletics. Keep on visiting the event web site for all updates and news: www.mortongames.ie

So how can you do your bit for your club:

Financially this is a huge undertaking. The Meet runs to break even. No one receives any payment whatsoever. So if you are involved in a business please come on board as a sponsor, contact mortongames@hotmail.com or the meet director Noel Guiden on 0879599888. Please also as an individual becoming a Friend of Morton Games, a donation of €100 will see your name on the event programme and web site, and you will get 2 tickets to the meet. Contact friendsmortongames@hotmail.com

Sign up as a volunteer. You will get a special t shirt, plus become a member of the acknowledged “friendliest team in World athletics” . Contact Jeremy Chapman jerosixtyfour@gmail.com . Please do this today as needs to be planned NOW, not next week!

Please spread the word. Send the this flyer to your athletics contacts. Please ask for Flyers to hand out at events. See Noel Guiden.

If you can`t do any of the above, then please at the very least come along on July 12th and support the event. Admission is only €10, bring your kids for free.

The club’s annual International Athletics promotion, the Morton Games, takes place in the stadium on July 12^th which is coming along quicker than you may think.

We are now in the final push towards the Meet, a huge body of work has been carried out since September and things are now in place for what promises to be another superb night of athletics in Santry.

As always, however, we are looking for the assistance of our club members. We need assistance financially with the Meet, the cost of putting on this Meet is phenomenal, the club receives great assistance from Athletics Ireland/Sport Ireland, Fingal County Council, the Dublin Athletics Board and a loyal group of sponsors, mainly from within the club.

There are currently slots available for sponsors of three events on the international programme. If you or your company are interested in sponsoring one of these events please contact the Meet Director Noel Guiden asap – he is contactable on 087 9599 888 or noel.guiden@behans.ie.

The annual Friends of Morton Games is also an option where club members can assist. Donations of a minimum of €100.00 will entitle the donor to two tickets for the Meet and the donors name appearing on the event website www.mortongames.ie and in the event programme on race day.

Finally to our loyal volunteers please contact Jeremy Chapman as soon as possible and sign up to be available on the day. We have a volunteers Morton Games t-shirt available for anyone who helps out on the day – Jeremy’s contact details are jerosixtyfour@gmail.com.

Finally do keep an eye on the event website for regular updates, also follow the event twitter feed and facebook pages.

Morton Games today announced details of a great athletics club offer which opens on the 2^nd of May and will run throughout the month of May or until the first 1000 tickets under the offer have been sold. The May only offer to clubs is purchase 20 tickets and only pay for 10.

In announcing the offer Meet Director Noel Guiden said: “We would like to see as many of our clubs as possible in attendance at the Morton Games on July 12th and for these clubs to bring as many of their athletes, coaches, juvenile athletes and indeed parents of juveniles to the Morton Stadium to witness for themselves a night of world class athletics.”

He continued: “In recent years those who attended the Meet have witnessed some fantastic athletes in action in Santry and have witnessed outstanding athletics.  The stadium record books have been rewritten in Santry as a result of recent Morton Games – who will ever forget 2014 when there were 9 new stadium records set on the night or indeed last year’s Meet when there were a record number of sub 4 minute miles in an event on Irish soil – 11 out of the 12 finishers broke 4 minutes.”

Morton Games would love to see the Athletics Clubs of Ireland come along to the Meet in great numbers – indeed bring your club colours and in addition to supporting international athletes support Ireland`s athletes and your club mates who will be competing on the night.

As part of the necessary fund raising required to promote and host the 2017 Morton Games, the “Friends of Morton Games 2017” has been launched.

Morton Games appeals to friends of Irish athletics to become a friend of Morton Games. All friends of Morton Games in consideration of a donation of €100. will have their names appear on the event website and will also receive in advance of the Meet two complimentary tickets for the Morton Games. Of course being never shy in refusing generosity donations exceeding €100 will also be accepted! We will be delighted to hear from individuals, clubs and corporate entities willing to become a “Friend of Morton Games”

All funds raised go directly into the Meet and in particular will assist the Meet with the provision of live streaming around the world and will also assist with other expenses which arise.  Please note that all the officials and people involved in Morton Games carry out their work on an entirely voluntary basis.

If you are interested in becoming a Friend of Morton Games please email friendsmortongames@hotmail.com with your name, details and the amount of your donation and you will then receive details of the bank account into which your donation can be lodged.  Needless to say cheques and cash will also be gratefully accepted!

The Morton Games web site has been fully updated for this year`s meet on July 12th. Pay a visit to: www.mortongames.ie

With the Olympic Games now finished it is interesting to review the Track & Field athletics and to count the number of athletes who have competed in Morton Games over the past 6 years. An extraordinary 48 athletes who have competed in Morton Games competed in the Rio Olympic Games.

Pride of place in that list goes to Olympic 1500 champion Matt Centrowitz. Centrowitz won the Morton Games 800 in 2012, four years later he wins in Rio. 3000 Steeple Chase Bronze Medalist Emma Coburn (USA) was a 5^th place finisher in the Women’s International Mile at that same 2012 Meet in Santry.

Rio Olympics Game finalist Yohan Blake (JAM) was 4^th in the Olympic 100 final in a time of 9.93.  Blake set the Morton Games Meet and indeed Stadium record and Irish All Comers record of 10.12 at the 2015 Morton Games.  Melissa Bishop (CAN) also finished in 4th place in the Rio, the 800 finals, Melisa won the 800 at the 2012 Morton Games. Another 4th place finish by a Morton Gamer in Rio came from Ireland`s Thomas Barr in the 400H settling an Irish national record of 47.97.

Other Rio Olympic finalists include Aisha Praught (JAM), Sara Treacy, Shelby Houlihan (USA), Gen LaCaze (AUS), Eloise Wellings (AUS) , Ryan Gregson (AUS), Hassan Meade (USA) and David Torrence

The full list of Morton Gamers who competed in the Rio Olympics is;

Yohan Blake (JAM) – 100

Henricho Bruintijies (RSA) – 100

Carina Horn (RSA) – 100

Rolande Palacios (HON) – 200

Winston George (GUI) – 400

Thomas Barr (IRL) – 400 Hurdles

Jehue Gordon (TTO) – 400 Hurdles

Mahu Suguimati (BRA) – 400 Hurdles

Sebastian Rodgers (GBR) – 400 Hurdles

Mark English (IRL) – 800

Jeff Riseley (AUS) – 800

Anthony Ramano (CAN) – 800

Luke Matthews (AUS) – 800 & 1500

Melissa Bishop (CAN) – 800

Lovisa Lindh (SWD) – 800

Angie Petty (NZD) – 800

Selma Kaijan (AUS) – 800

Ciara Everard (IRL) – 800

Charlie Grice (GBR) – 1500

Ryan Gregson (AUS) – 1500

Matt Centrowitz (USA) – 1500 Olympic Champion

Julian Matthews (AUS) – 1500

Robby Andrews (USA) – 1500

Hamish Carson (NZD) – 1500

Zoe Buckman (AUS) – 1500

Ciara Mageean (IRL) – 1500

Nikki Hamblin (NZD) – 1500 & 5000

Hilary Steillingwerff (CAN) – 1500

Eloise Wellings (AUS) – 5000

Shelby Houlihan (USA) – 5000

Gen LaCaze (AUS) – 5000 & 3000 SC

Emma Coburn (USA) – 3000 SC – Bronze

Aisha Praught (JAM) – 3000 SC

Sara Treacy (IRL) – 3000 SC

Kerry O’Flaherty (IRL) – 3000 SC

Lennie Waite (GBR) – 3000 SC

David Torrence (PRU) – 5000

Hassan Meade (USA) – 5000

Sam McEntee (AUS) – 5000

Rob Mullett (GBR) – 3000 SC

Andy Vernon (GBR) – 10,000

Zane Robertson (NZD) – 10,000

Ross Millington (GBR) – 10,000

Molly Huddle (USA) – 10,000

Luke Cutts (GBR) – Pole Vault

Chris Baker (GBR) – High Jump

Jarrin Solomon (TTO) – 4 x 400 relay

Renny Quow (TTO) – 4 x 400 relay

Currently available broadcast times for the 2016 Morton Games –

Irish TV
Fri 29 July – 9:00pm

eir Sport
Sun 31 July – 12:25pm – eir Sport 2
Mon 1 Aug – 8:00am – eir Sport 2
Mon 1 Aug – 11:00am – eir Sport 1
Tue 2 Aug – 11:30pm – eir Sport 2
Wed 3 Aug – 8:00am – eir Sport 1
Fri 5 Aug – 11:00am – eir Sport 1
Sun 7 Aug – 3:00am – eir Sport 1 (Sat night)
Sun 7 Aug – 10:30am – eir Sport 1
Sun 7 Aug – 7:00pm – eir Sport 1

Premier Sports UK
Sun 31 July – 12:25pm
Mon 1 Aug – 8:00am
Tue 2 Aug – 11:30pm

Fox Sports 2 Africa
Sun 28 Aug – 1000CAT/0800GMT
Mon 29 Aug – 1330CAT/1130GMT
Fri 2 Sept – 1515CAT/1315GMT
Mon 5 Sept – 0815CAT/0615GMT

Another night of magic at the Morton Games! July 22nd produced a wonderful Meet in the Morton Stadium, Santry on a perfect night for athletics: warm, dry and still. Once again the athletes at Morton Games rose to the occasion with some fantastic performances.

Where to start? A record 11 sub 4 minute miles in the Morton Mile? Ciara Mageean`s brave attempt at sub 2? Katie Mackey`s Mile stadium and meet record? Jeff Coover`s stadium and meet record in the Pole Vault? David Smith`s high jump meet record?

From the outset of the meet it appeared that magic was in the air. A super Juvenile mile (16 legs) relay brought the early arrivals to their feet as 8 teams battle it out with Tallaght AC taking the baton home 1st.

The Allianz Men`s 800 Wheelchair race, a first in this meet, was a great spectacle, a full race of 7 athletes lead home by Rio bound Kildare man Paddy Monahan in 1.48.38.

The Aon women`s 100 saw Nigeria`s Stephanie Kalu take the win in 11.60 with Niamh Whelan heading the chasing Irish (11.72) with Joan Healy 3rd. The Aon men`s 100 was a great race with all 10 lanes in use. Joe Morris (USA) was 1st with a 10.23 run, 2nd was sub ten seconds man Dentarius Locke (USA) with Bismark Boateng (CAN) 3rd.

The two Loki Sports 400 races also produced excellent races Terrence Agard (NED) taking race 1 in 47.49 fron Scotland`s Greg Louden 47.72 and Timmy Crowe of host club Clonliffe 3rd (47.91). Race 2 produced a win for Sadam Koumi (SUD) 45.76, with Winston George (GUY) 2nd in an identical time and last year`s winner Jarryd Dunn (GBR) 3rd.

Despite the withdrawal of Irish favourite Thomas Barr through injury, the 400 H (sponsored by Tucks Fasteners and Fixings) was a star studded affair that included 2013 World Champion Jehue Gordon (TTO) and former European Champion Rhys Williams (GBR). It was Williams that proved the stronger coming down the home straight and to come home a clear winner in 49.50, USA Olympic Trials finalist Quincy Downing was 2nd 49.88 and Cristain Morton (NGR) on his first Morton Games visit 3rd 50.02.

Meanwhile in the field events the high jump was won by Scot David Smith in a Meet record of 2.22m and Jeff Coover (USA) on his return to Santry topped the Stadium and Meet record with a best pole vault of 5.57m.

The 800s were to be the most dramatic events of the night. First off the Muscle Clinic men`s 800 where Shaq Walker after latching onto the pace maker had a huge lead with 280 to go and with the pack closing lost 1st place meters from the line as 2015 European Junior Champion Kyle Langford clocking a season`s best of 1.46.73 got his head in front with Ireland`s Zak Curran producing a pb of 1.46.78 for 2nd, Walker with a 1.46.79 was relegated to 3rd. The Marathon Mission 16 Women`s 800 was the most eagerly awaited race of the night as Ciara Mageean had the eye`s of the stadium fixed on her pursuit of the Irish Record. After an extremely brave attempt the European 1500 bronze medallist was overhauled by Alex Bell (GBR) both running pb`s Bell clocking 2.00.53 to Mageean`s 2.00.79. USA`s Baylee Mires was 3rd in 2.02.60.

The bravest run of the night paid dividends. In the Albie Thomas 3000 Jonny Taylor (GBR) was the only athlete to follow the pace makers finding himself maybe 60m clear, with 2 to go he was tiring with the chasing pack on his heels, 400 to go and he looked in trouble but digging deep he held on to win in the Morton Games for the first time in 7.56.06, Richard Weir (GBR) was 2nd 7.56.66 and Ireland`s Matt Bergin running a pb in 3rd 7.58.63.

Finally the miles. First the women`s mile a battle royal saw Katie Mackey (USA) continued her brilliant current form, after her pb in the Diamond League in Monaco last weekend, another pb and a Meet and Stadium record 4.25.48, Heather Kampf (USA) was 2nd 4.27.33 and Cory McGee (USA) 3rd 4.28.55. Unbelievably every single athlete in the race (12) ran pbs!!

Then at 9.00pm sharp the Morton Mile. The magic wasn’t over just yet. With the pacers, as had been the case all night, doing excellent work the whole field were on sub 4 pace, at the bell it was anyone`s race, at the final turn it was anyone`s race, with 50 to go it was anyone`s race, and then Johnny Gregorek (USA) came around the long side to win in 3.55.75, 2nd Kyle Merber (USA) 3.55.79, 3rd Alexander Colby 3.55.93.  The sub 4s kept on coming until Paul Robinson (IRL) 3.58.75 in 11th place……11 sub 4s a Morton Mile record.

A word also about first time sub 4 young James West (GBR) coached by the legendary George Gandy who in running 3.58.69 took some 17 seconds off his pb!

A fitting finale to a magical night.

Thank you all our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and athletes for helping to make Morton Games what it is: Magic!!

Full results see www.mortongames.ie

Friday`s Morton Games will see some top class athletes competing in a tight action packed programme. The International athletes commences at 7.00pm, with a pre programme from 5.30pm, the meet will conclude with the iconic Morton Mile at 9.00pm.

Please visit the event site for updates www.mortongames.ie

Spread the word:

A Safety/Information  Briefing will be held in the Clubhouse on Tuesday 19^th July at 8:30p.m. It is expected the briefing will take 30 minutes.  In addition to the briefing all stewards will be issued their accreditation for the night plus the specially commissioned t-shirt.  We require all Team Leaders to be in attendance also.  Thank you again for your commitment to assit  on the night.