The UPMC SSC Morton Mile will in accordance with tradition be the finale of Morton Games, the final act in what promises to be a fantastic night’s entertainment.
Last year’s Morton mile was simply brilliant. Cathal Doyle provided an emotional win for the Clonliffe home crowd, in the race in memory of the legendary Clonliffe Harrier Billy Morton. Doyle’s 3.52.06 is bettered only by Will Leer’s stadium record of 3.51.82.
Doyle also featured in arguably the most dramatic Morton mile of all time. 2022 saw Doyle and Andrew Coscoran go toe to toe down the home straight, no quarter given, no quarter asked and in the dive for the line it was Coscoran who got the win on a photo finish.
Doyle and Coscoran will once again go toe to toe on Friday night.
Andrew Coscoran might well be the favourite, he is the Irish record holder at 3.49.26, but Doyle, an Olympic semi-finalist, is determined to win back to back Morton miles
The Morton mile field is stacked, Ireland’s best milers will line up – Brian Fay, a 3.52.03 miler and the Irish 5000 record holder, Nick Griggs, back with a bang – witness that 3.55.97 return to action in the BMC meet in Belfast on June 14, Darragh McElhinney, Shane Bracken, and James Gormley. That’s a magnificent seven top-class Irish milers
There is a big Australian challenge this year with Morton Stadium 3000 record holder Stewart McSweyn back for his first Morton Games for some time, he is a regular on the Diamond league circuit with a 3.48.40 mile PB, Matthew Ramsden, the 2024 Australia 5000 champion, PB 3.51.23 and Morton regular now Jackson Sharp 3.54.63.
USA athletes have largely been the dominant force over the years in the Morton mile, once again there are strong challengers in the field, Reuben Reina 3.53.95 and NCAA 5000 bronze medallist Marco Langon, 3.54.60.. The field is completed by Belgian’s Sven Bombeke, who is desperate to go sub- 4, his PB stands at 4.00.89 , Charlie Wheeler (GBR), more noted as a 5000 man but he’s also a sub 4 miler and Joe Wigfield (GBR) winner of this year’s Sir Roger Bannister Mile in Oxford in a PB of 3.56.64.
So as dusk closes in, the 2025 Morton milers will have toes to the line waiting for the starters gun and the Santry roar. Don’t miss out!