Jul 22, 2010 [Noel Guiden] The milers in last night’s Morton Mile came pretty close to the 2008 record of nine sub-4 miles as Will Leer led seven athletes across the finish line in the magical Sub-4 with another two athletes recording times of 4 minutes dead.
It was a perfect night for athletics. Thankfully the thunder and lightening and downpour of two hours earlier had left the Morton Stadium and as the track dried on a balmy evening wasn’t even a gust of wind as the nineteen 2010 Morton Milers assembled on the start line. The field had class written all over it. The promise of a sub-4 minute mile was looking more like a reality rather than a possibility. As the starters gun went the pace-maker hit the front with the field tightly bunched behind him, our visitors from the United States were well to the fore and mixing it with them was West Waterford’s David McCarthy looking to go sub-4 for the first time out doors. With 400m to go it was still anyone’s race, the athletes wound up the race and at the speed they were running a final lap of 58 seconds or so would see the clocks stop at 3.50 something – anything so long as it read less than 4.00. Spotting that his team mate Russell Browne was slightly boxed in Will Leer went for it and with a final lap of some 54 seconds crossed the line in first place in 3.56.81, a race that he finished 2nd in in 2008. His last lap was telling as Jack Bolas (USA) was 2nd in 3.58.41 from Russell Browne 3.58.48.
Also dipping under 4 minutes was Craig Miller (USA) 3.59.19, Andrew Bumbalough (USA) 3.59.46, David McCarthy (Ireland & West Waterford AC) 3.59.79 and the seventh sub-4 minute miler of the night, Liam Boylan-Pett (USA) 3.59.86.
The presentation party for the top six in the 2010 Morton Mile included the sponsors Behan & Associates and Commercial Hygiene Services, Clonliffe Harriers Club President, Paddy Marley and Billy Morton’s daughters, Yvonne and Billie, who presented the magnificent Morton Memorial Cup to a worthy and popular winner in Will Leer.
Full results of the Morton Mile 2010:
1. Will Leer (USA) – 3.56.81
2. Jack Bolas (USA) – 3.58.41
3. Russell Browne (USA) – 3.58.48
4. Craig Miller (USA) – 3.59.19
5. Andrew Bumbalough (USA) – 3.59.46
6. David McCarthy (West Waterford AC) – 3.59.79
7. Liam Boylan-Pett (USA) – 3.59.86
8. Kurt Benninger (Canada) – 4.00.71
9. Kyle Alcorne (USA) – 4.00.8
10. Liam Reale (Limerick AC) – 4.01.49
11. Sean Connolly (Tallaght AC) – 4.02.59
12. Dan Mulhare (North Laois AC) – 4.02.65
13. Alan O’Brien (Crusaders AC) – 4.04.02
14. Sean Brosnan (USA) – 4.04.83
15. Joe Sweeney (DSD) – 4.06.8
16. Sam Dech (USA) – 4.07.84
17. Tom Fitzpatrick (Tallaght AC) – 4.08.15
18. Conor Healy (Clonliffe Harriers) – 4.11.93
Immediately preceding the Morton Mile was the Clonliffe Junior Mile which was a race won in fine style by MSB’s Liam Tremble. Tremble took up the running from the start and never looked in danger of being overhauled, despite the gap slightly closing on the third lap Tremble opened the gap again with a fine final lap to record a time of 4.25.48 from Clonliffe’s Jamie Rossiter, 2nd in 4.30.01 with Kevin Dooney of Raheny Shamrocks 3rd in 4.33.02.
This was a fine race for all the junior athletes involved with 90% of the athletes recording PB’s.
The full result of the Clonliffe Junior Mile was:
1. Liam Tremble (MSB) – 4.25.48
2. Jamie Rossiter (Clonliffe) – 4.30.01
3. Kevin Dooney (Raheny) – 4.33.02
4. Andrew Jenkinson (Clonliffe) – 4.33.95
5. Stephen Lawlor (St. Abbans AC) – 4.35.98
6. Ian Guiden (Clonliffe) – 4.36.45
7. Daniel Tadlow (DSD) – 4.41.92
8. Eric McCann (Clonliffe) – 4.42.03
9. David Vaughey (Clonliffe) – 4.47.24
10. Johnny Bradley-Ward (Clonliffe) – 5.06.38
11. Ronan Doyle (Clonliffe) – 5.12.54
In addition to these two mile races the meet also included a number of Dublin Athletic Board graded races as well as the Albie Thomas 3000 Open. Albie Thomas of course is synonymous with Santry, having set two World records back in 1958 and also contributed enormously to Herb Elliott’s 1 mile mark also set in 1958, Albie was also a visitor to the Morton Stadium for the 50th anniversary of his 3 Mile World Record two years ago and made a wonderful impression on all who had the pleasure to meet him on that occasion. It was fitting therefore that in the Women’s 800M race were two Aussies – Lisa Corrigan, who won the race in 2.06.29 and Bridey Delaney, who was 2nd in 2.07.83. As a junior athlete Bridey was actually coached by Ablie and is a member of Albie’s Club in Australia, St. George’s. Third in 800M race was Siobhan Eviston of Raheny, from a Clonliffe perspective Becky Woods ran close to her PB recording a time of 2.14.43 in 5th place with Louise Reilly one place behind her in 2.18.58.
The Albie Thomas 3000M was won by Rathfarnham’s Eoin Flynn in a time of 8.30 from Lee Van Haefen of Donore 8.39.4 with Ian Conroy of Raheny Shamrock’s 3rd in 8.41.5.
In the B and C combined 3000 Clonliffe’s Ernie Ramsey had a good run recording a time of 9.41.37 and finishing 2nd, whilst Tom Monks was 4th in the C grade in a time of 10.39.
Clonliffe Harriers also sponsored the Men’s Pole Vault competition which was won by Stuart Green of Raheny Shamrocks, setting a new Raheny Shamrocks club record of 4.65, joint 2nd were Ian Rogers of Clonliffe and Thomas Houlihan of West Waterford (4.45).
The Women’s 100M A race, also sponsored by Clonliffe, was won by Amy Foster in a time of 12.09, from Louise Kiernan, Fingallians, 12.61 and Catherine McManus (Celtic AC) 12.66.
Clonliffe’s Snezana Bechtina recorded a time of 13.5.
In the Men’s 100 A Race (also sponsored by Clonliffe) there were actually two A races such was the level of interest, the fastest three were Jonathan Holmes (KCH) 10.8, 2nd Christopher Russell (Ferrybank AC) 11.02 and 3rd after his heroics in last weekend’s School’s International, Clonliffe’s Patrick O’Connor 11.26.
Other Clonliffe results in this race were Danny Kavanagh 11.29, John Laffey 11.41, Conor Coleman 11.59 and Stuart Roche 11.99.
Marco Mattiuzzo won the Triple Jump with 13.29M and in the 800M races Aidan Bailey was fastest of the Clonliffe Contingent with a time of 1.53.06, Brett Paine ran 1.55.73, Stephen Harkness ran 1.57.17, Philip O’Doherty ran 2.08.35 and Colm Groome ran 2.08.68.
Full results of the graded races can be found on www.dublinathletics.com
Clonliffe Harriers would like to thank our sponsors of the Morton Mile Meet: Behan & Assocaites; Commercial Hygiene Services and Fashionflo.