With the Morton Games now only two weeks away, Friday July 22nd here`s the latest news on events, athletes confirmed etc.: Nigeria`s Cristian Morton is a confirmed started in the 400H at Morton Games. The American born athlete was the NCAA Champion in 2012. That same year he represented Nigeria in the London Olympic Games making it through to the semi finals. He has a 48.79 pb and a season`s best of 49.92.
Also confirmed for the 400 H is last year`s winner Mike Cochrane (NZD) who has a 49.56 pb set at last year`s World Championships in Beijing, the USA`s Quincy Downing (pb 49.63) and British duo Jacob Paul, pb 50.20 and Jack Haughton pb 50.27.
Ireland`s World University Champion Thomas Barr, pb 48.65, has confirmed his intention to compete having missed last year`s meet, and Paul Byrne with a 50.72 pb is also confirmed.
Top Class field for Allianz Men`s 800 Wheelchair
July 22nd`s Morton Games will feature for the first time an International wheelchair race. The Allianz mens 800 Wheelchair at 7.18pm will bring this specular event to Santry. A top class field is currently being assembled. On paper the athlete to beat may well be Nathan Maguire (GBR), the World Junior 400 silver and 800 bronze medallist (T54) who has a pb over 800 currently standing at 1.38.11. Also confirmed is Issac Towers (GBR) who set his pb of 1.44.67 when winning the IPC (T34) Grand Prix in Grosseto, Italy on June 16th and was a 3rd place finisher at last week`s Cork City Sports, Poland`s Samuel Kolek , Scotland`s Sean Frame, and Irish duo Jack Agnew (pb 1.46.87) and Pat Monahan. Monahan has a great proficiency over a range of distances right up to the Marathon, indeed the Kildare man recently bagged the Rio qualifying time in the Seoul Marathon in recording a time of 1.29.45!
High Jumpers to Provide Morton Exceitement
It`s great to confirm the return to Morton Games of the men`s International High Jump. 2015 saw the first High Jump competition in the meet won by Douwe Amels of the Netherlands with a best jump of 2.21m which drew one of the biggest cheers of the night.
This year already confirmed are 4 times Serbian Champion Milos Todosijevic, pb 2.20m, Scotlands David Smith who won the recent Loughborough International with a 2.21m jump and has a best of 2.26m (set indoors) and Irish International Barry Pender also with a 2.26m pb set indoors.
After the US trials several additional athletes are expected to be added to the start list. the Meet record is certainly under threat, whether the stadium record of 2.28m set by Brendan Reilly way back in July of 1999 survives another year remains to be seen.
Irish Morton Games winners back for more
July 22nd will see the return to Morton Games of two of last year`s Irish winners with the confirmed participation of both Ciara Mageean and Karl Griffin in this year`s meet. Last year`s was notable from an Irish perspective in two respects, firstly the return to the big stage of Mageean in the mile as took on, front ran an international field that included Gen LaCaze and a host of US middle distance athletes, and took a superb win much to the delight of the big Santry crowd. Secondly the surprise winner of the night was in the men`s 800 where Karl Griffin left both Robby Andrews and Mike Rutt, both USA, to contest the minor placings in the dive for the line.
Griffin will need to be at his very best if he is to successful defend his title while Mageean comes down in distance as she edges towards the two minute barrier.
Tickets for Morton Games now on Sale
Tickets cost €15 for Stand and €10 for Ground, U/16s accompanied free ground admission now on sale in Club Bar or payment on the night.
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Stewards etc needed club members please e mail Jeremy Chapman: jerosixtyfour@gmail.com asap. Your Club Need You!!!
Updates on Morton Games
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