A host of international athletes will participate in the Morton Pre-Games at the Morton Stadium Santry on Wednesday night next July 25th from 7.15 p.m.
The Meet Director Noel Guiden today confirmed the participation of over a dozen London bound Olympians in the Meet together with a host of other international athletes will make this Meet the biggest International Track and Field Athletics Meet to take place in Dublin in many a long year.
The women’s mile in particular is loaded with Olympians: Zoe Buckman (AUS) who runs the 1500 metres in London, US Olympic bound steeplechasers Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp, who finished first and third in the US Olympic trials, another Olympic bound steeplechaser Gen Lacoze (AUS), a third Australian Olympian Eloise Wellings, who in London will run the 10,000 metres and from the Czech Republic Tereza Capkova who in London will run the 1500 metres along with Ireland’s Olympic Steeplechaser Stephanie Reilly. The Women’s Mile will feature seven London bound Olympians.
One of the biggest names currently in athletics who will be watched with great interest is Nick Symmonds (USA). Simmons is an 800 metre specialist who will run the eight in the London 2012 Olympics runs his first ever ‘pro 400m’ in Santry in what could be one of the races of the Meet, Symmonds will face Jermaine Gayle (JAM), an athlete with a PB of 45.6 and European U/23 silver medallist 2011 and European Senior 400 metre finalist Brian Gregan.
The Morton Mile itself will feature Ryan Gregson, one of the fastest miler in the field and probably starts the Morton Mile as favourite. Ireland’s Olympic bound 1500m athlete Ciaran O’Lionaird also goes in the mile along with David Torrence (USA) with an impressive mile PB of 3.52.01.
The women’s 800 metres will feature two Canadian athletes who will both be running the 800 in the London Olympics: Melessia Bishop and Jessica Smith.
With athletes from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Germany, Jamaica, Liberia and Ireland the Morton Games is well and truly an international affair. The international programme opens at 7.15 with the first race being the men’s 400 hurdles and with a full programme of track and field including 100 metres men and women, 400 metre men, 800 metres men and women, the mile for men and women, men’s 3000 metres, women’s long jump, men’s discus and men’s pole vault an excellent night’s athletics is in store. Admission to the Morton Games is €5.00 for individuals or €10.00 for families. See www.mortongames.ie for more.