On Friday, July 11 one of the highlights of the athletics calendar takes place at the Morton Stadium, Dublin with the return of Morton Games, World Athletics Continental tour. A night when dreams are made!
It promises to be a night of excitement, drama and non-stop action featuring many of Ireland’s top international athletes including Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker, Cathal Doyle, Sarah Lavin, Israel Olatunde, Bori Akinola, Sophie O’Sullivan, Efrem Gidey, Cian McPhillips, Nick Griggs, Niamh Fogarty, Jack Raftery, Eric Favors and Louise Shanahan.
The main program will start at 7 PM with a Morton Games first, a women’s T34/T54 800 featuring one of the world’s best Para athletes, Hannah Cockcroft (GBR), with 9 Paralympic gold medals and 7 world para gold medals to her credit.
With a packed programme of 13 international events in a 2 hour slot it will be a truly breathtaking night with highlights galore. As always on Morton Games night every event provides drama and excitement with the athletics connoisseurs looking forward to a mouthwatering women’s 400 featuring the stars of the Irish 4 x 400 relay team: Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker.
Other highlights will include Sarah Lavin in her quest for third Morton Games 100 hurdles in a row. Then there’s the battle for supremacy in the men’s 100, will it be Bori Akinola or Israel Olatunde or the defending champion Coby Hilton of the USA?
Field event fans will be spoilt for choice with a world-class women’s discus field to enjoy. The entry includes Ieva Gumbs (LTU), an athlete with a 64.98 PB and returning champion Antonia Kinzel (GER), with a 62.64 PB, with the Stadium record of 59.62 now 31 years old maybe it’s time for a new name on the record books. There will also be another excellent men’s shot to enjoy featuring Ireland’s Eric Favors, Nick Palmer (NZE) and Szymon Mazur (POL).
The newly crowned NCAA 1500 champion Sophie O’Sullivan is the attraction in the women’s 1500 where she will meet top class opposition in the likes of last year’s winner Shannon Flockhart (GBR), who clocked a new Stadium record, Maria Pia Fernandez (URU) and Tokyo Olympic 1500 finalist Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN).
Finally, there’s the iconic Morton Mile, the meet finale, an always dramatic and exciting race. The 2025 addition promises to be something even more special with a stellar field of Irish athletes including defending champion Cathal Doyle, Brian Fay, Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney facing athletes such as Australia’s Stewart McSweyn, Jude Thomas and Matt Ramsden and Uruguayan multi-record holder Santiago Catrofe.
International events:
Women- 800 T34/T54 wheelchair, 100H, 400, 800, 1500, High Jump, Discus,
Men- 100, 400, 800, mile, 5000, shot.
Mortongames.ie will have updates and features over the days ahead buiding up to the big night. Don’t forget to also follow the Morton Games social media channels .
Morton Games, Friday July 11, at Morton Stadium Dublin from 7pm. Pre-programme from 5.30pm