All roads lead to Morton Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) for the first Irish Milers Club meet of the season.
The meet will be one of the first track and field events to take place this Outdoor season in Ireland and entries have poured in.
Now in its 21st year, the Irish Milers Club attracts large fields and provides competitive races year in and year out. This years meets are expected to be no different.
Action will get underway on Saturday at 1pm with the Women’s A 1500m. Amongst the standout entries in this race are Emma Mitchell (Clonliffe Harriers), Niamh Kearney (Raheny Shamrocks), Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore AC) and sisters Lucy and Kirsti Foster (Willowfield Harriers AC). Kehoe is a multiple time national medallist and won the 1500m A race at the Drogheda IMC in 2019, setting an Outdoor PB of 4.24.90 that day. Mitchell has a PB of 4.18.66 dating back to 2016, while Kearney ran 4:19.92 at the IMC in Belfast last summer.
The Men’s 5000m is sure to be an intriguing race. Efrem Gidey will be looking to see of the challenge of Ennis Track twins Dean and Dylan Casey. All three young athletes have no shortage of national medals. Luke McCann is given the task of pacing the race, with the athletes looking for 63s/64s laps.
The Women’s 5000m also features some exciting names. 2020 National Indoor 3000m Champion Ciara Wilson of D.M.P AC in Wexford is in very good form at the moment having recently finished second in the National 10k Championships. She will face tough competition from the likes of Grace Lynch (Iveragh AC), Jessica Coyne (Leevale AC), and Lauren Tinkler (Dublin City Harriers) amongst others.
Kevin McGrath of Bohermeen AC is entered in the Men’s A 1500m. He will be joined by young guns such as Scott Fagan (Metro St. Brigid’s), Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers), and David Williams (St. Senans AC).
Louis O’Loughlin of Donore Harriers goes in the Men’s 800m A race alongside Cillian Kirwan of Raheny Shamrocks. Three Qatari athletes will also race. These athletes are coached by former Endurance Coordinator with Athletics Ireland Steven Macklin.
The Women’s 800m A race features Jenna Bromell and Alanna Lally. Both athletes have ran under 2.05 in their careers. Denise Toner of Clones AC recently won the O40 1500m at the European Masters Indoor Championships in Braga, Portugal, while Sarah Lane of Nenagh Olympic got her Outdoor season off to a winning start a couple of weeks ago to win the National University title over the distance for DCU.
There is also Men’s and Women’s Shot Put and High Jump competitions which will feature Paralympian Mary Fitzgerald of Gowran AC and David Cussen of Old Abbey AC, respectively.
On the programme also are the Men’s and Women’s 400m races, with a Universities Distance Medley Relay concluding the programme. Athletes will run 1200m, 400m, 800m, and 1600m respectively with a prize of €400 going to the winning team.
It promises to be an enthralling day of athletics. Entry for spectators is free.
