Undoubtedly the DCU men's 800 will provide one of the highlights at Friday night’s Morton Games. The home challenge will be spearheaded by the 2026 national indoor champion Cillian Kirwan has been hitting fine form once again of late and only in the past week or so clocked a new PB of 1.45.63. U/23 athlete Nathan Cremin has been at university in the United States and comes back home now armed with a 1.46.45 PB. Making a welcome return to Morton Games, after a long period of injury is John Fitzsimons, 1.45.66 PB, the winner here in 2023.
The race will feature two top Belgian athletes: Tibo De Smet, PB 1.44.54, Paris Olympian and the 2024 Belgian 800 champion. Clearly he has the speed for that final 100 burnout, he was on the Belgian 4 x 400 team that won gold at the world indoors in 2024. Timo Inghelbrecht took the Belgian indoor championship this year, he has a 1.47.08 PB and makes his return to Morton Games having completed last year.
David Garcia is the Portuguese indoor champion twice over, this year and 2 years ago. He has a 1.46.88 PB.
There are 3 athletes from the USA, Gareth O'Toole, a member of the promoting club Clonliffe Harriers, who last competed in Morton Games when he lined up for the Morton mile 3 years back, since then he has focused on the 800 lowering his PB to 1.46.44. Patrick Hilby is hitting top form at the moment, the Wisconsin Badger, recently ran 1.45.95 and David Cardenas, PB 1.47.52.
Northern Ireland's Andrew Thompson takes part in his first Morton Games, he has a 1.46.77 PB. Fastest man in the field is Henry Jonas (GBR) with a 1.44.10 standing to his name. He is no stranger to these shores having won last year’s 800 at the Cork City Sports in a meet record of 1.45.25 and won the Belfast Classic 800 this year. He was 3rd in the British Indoor 1500 this year and in recent weeks 4th in the UK 800 Championships.
If this year's race is anything like last year's where Cian McPhillips ran a Stadium record and secured world championship qualification, then Morton Games fans are in for a treat.