Morton Games and Sanctuary Runners partnership continues

Morton Games and Sanctuary Runners have announced the continuation of their partnership into a third year. The announcement was made in Morton Stadium  by Noel Guiden, Meet Director of Morton Games with Sanctuary Runners/Clonliffe Harriers athletes Malcom Kiplagat, Mohamoud Mohamed Hashi and Said Abdiwahab Muhudin.

Founded in 2018 Sanctuary Runners is a solidarity-through-sport initiative which uses running, jogging and walking to bring together asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and all Irish residents. This has been a great success story with many Sanctuary Runners through sport being accepted with open arms as members of the wider athletics community. The blue T shirts are a very familiar sight at parkruns and road races throughout the country with many Sanctuary Runners welcomed into athletics clubs including the athletes at last night’s announcement who are now proud members of Conliffe Harriers AC.

Sanctuary Runners as Morton Games’ official charity partner will be guests of Morton Games, A World Athletics Continental Tour meet, in Morton Stadium on Friday July 10th where they will have an information tent to further spread the message of solidarity, friendship and respect. There will also be the opportunity on the night for both club athletes and athletics fans to do something positive on sustainability by donating used training shoes to Sanctuary Runners at their collection area. Those old shoes will have a second life on the feet of a Sanctuary Runner!

In announcing the partnership Noel Guiden, Meet Director said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Sanctuary Runners into a third year. Our friends from Sanctuary Runners have added enormously to our sport bringing diversity, friendship and some amazing talent into the world of athletics in Ireland. We are delighted to welcome our friends from Sanctuary Runners to be our guests on July 10th and we encourage people coming on the night to call to say hello to the folks from Sanctuary Runners and donate any used training shoes. They are invaluable to those who have little.”

Anna Pringle, Sanctuary Runners CEO, said of the partnership: “We are honoured to be partnering with Morton Games again this year and to be part of this world-renowned athletics event that celebrates performance and inclusion. Clonliffe Harriers and other athletics clubs have consistently shown how welcoming and inclusive Irish athletics can be. The Morton Games is a highlight of the summer for Sanctuary Runners and we are looking forward to being there to support the games.”

Morton Games takes place on Friday, July 10 at the Morton Stadium Dublin from 5.30pm with the main international athletics events from 6.30pm.Tickets now on sale: https://eventmaster.ie/event/42VRh4rFEe

50 days to A Night of Stars.

The countdown is well and truly on. Today is a milestone: only 50 days to go to this year’s Morton Games.

On Friday, July 10 Morton Stadium in Santry will host the world athletics Continental tour (bronze) Morton Games bringing to Ireland athletes from over 25 different countries from all corners of the world to compete against many of Ireland’s best athletes. It will be a night to come out and see the stars of track and field.

Highlights are sure to include a titanic battle in the men’s 100 with an entry list that includes Ireland’s top speedsters defending champion Israel Olatunde, National 60 indoor champion Bori Akinola and new national 200 record holder Sean Aigboboh. From the USA comes the 2024 Morton 100 champion Coby Hilton and Brandon Carnes, 2023 world relay 4 x 100 gold medallist.

A women’s 800 that brings together a superb field of Irish talent. Maeve O’Neill who this year has propelled herself to new heights, National indoor champion Hannah Segrave and national outdoor champion Alex O’Neill.

The Albie Thomas 5000 has one of the deepest fields ever assembled on Irish soil with an entry that includes current Irish national record holder Brian Fay, Darragh McElhinney, Nick Griggs, Jack O’Leary and Efrem Gidey. The overseas entry includes John Heymans (BEL) and former winner of this race Scott Beattie (GBR). A fast race for certain. It might even be fast enough to break the Irish record. Sub 13.00 is the big question. The answer will come in 50 days time!

Other highlights will undoubtedly include the famed Morton mile, women’s 1500, women’s 100 hurdles and a trio of field events with star filled entries that will be released over the course of the weeks ahead.

International events at Morton Games:

men – 100, 400, 800, mile, 5000, shot.

Women – mixed classification para 100, 100 hurdles, 400, 800, 1500, high jump, hammer.

Tickets for Morton Games: https://eventmaster.ie/event/42VRh4rFEe

Follow Morton Games socials: TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram.

Web site: https://www.mortongames.ie/

Men and women’s U/20 Mile races entry opens May 14th

Morton Games from tomorrow, May 14th, invites Irish U/20 men and women interested in competing in the respective mile races at Morton Games, World Athletics Continental Tour, on Friday, July 10 to contact us by email..

 The recommended standards are a 1500 time of sub 4.13.00 for U/20 men and for U/20 women sub 4.50.00.

There is a strict limit on numbers that can be accommodated and once this limit is reached a standby list will operate. Any additional available places that open up will be filled from that standby list.

Please contact us sooner rather than later by email to juniormiles.mortongames@gmail.com with your name, club, 1500 PB/SB and your email contact.

The U/20 mile races at Morton Games are kindly supported by the Jerry Kiernan Foundation and by John Buckley Sports. These races provide great opportunities for young athletes to experience the atmosphere of an international track and field meet at home. Last year’s races were won by Lucy Foster of Willowfield Harriers and Lorcan Benjacar of Clonliffe Harriers.

Any athlete interested should contact us through the above email as soon as possible. When all available places are gone – they are gone!

Spectator tickets for the Morton Games now available online through this link: https://eventmaster.ie/event/42VRh4rFEe

Fingal Athletics League and Morton Games partnership extends into year three

Fingal County Council and Morton Games announced the continuation of the partnership of the Fingal Athletics League and Morton Games into a third year. The partnership continues its mission to promote the growth and development of athletics in Fingal.

The announcement was attended by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Tom O’Leary, Director of Services for Environment, Climate Action, Active Travel & Sport, David Storey, Fingal Sports Development Officer, Noel McManus, Meet Director of Morton Games, Noel Guiden, Chloe Heaslip, Clonliffe Harriers, and 2026 National 10k champion Ian Guiden of Clonliffe Harriers AC.

The continuation of the collaboration between the Fingal Athletics League, known for its commitment to grassroots development, and Morton Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour International track and field event, brings together two pillars of athletics in Fingal and aims to continue elevating schoolchildren's participation in athletics. By joining forces, both organisations seek to create unparalleled opportunities for young athletes.

Now about to hit its 20th year, the Fingal Athletics League has expanded exponentially from a handful of schools in year one to this year, with in excess of 50 primary schools and over 2,500 young students participating in race meets throughout Fingal, which will culminate in the finals at the ALSAA Sports Complex on May 13th.

The Mayor said, “Fingal Athletics League is a shining example of how sport can unite communities, nurture young talent, and inspire lifelong participation. Our continued partnership with the Morton Games strengthens this pathway, giving athletes in Fingal the opportunity to compete, grow, and aspire on a bigger stage. Together, we are building a vibrant future for athletics in our county.”

David Storey added, “Through the Fingal Athletics League, we are proud to champion sustainability through the Greenest School Award, while livestreaming ensures schools and communities across Fingal can share in the event. This reflects our commitment to a greener, more accessible future for sport.”

Students from the winning school will be invited as special guests to the Morton Games at the Morton Stadium, Santry, on July 10th, where they will have the opportunity to witness world-class athletics featuring Ireland’s top athletes and competitors from over 25 countries.

Noel Guiden said, "Morton Games is delighted to continue our partnership with the Fingal Athletics League into yet another year. We have a shared vision of advancing Irish athletics at all levels, and we will continue our work towards creating a vibrant and inclusive sporting community that celebrates the spirit of friendship and competition. We are particularly pleased to continue encouraging young people with their athletics, which, after all, forms the basis of every sport. I genuinely feel that sporting friendships made in school can last a lifetime”

The Fingal Athletics League Finals Day takes place on May 13th at ALSAA Sports Complex and will be broadcast live on YouTube. Details on where to tune in can be found on Fingal Sports' social media channels.

Morton Games takes place on Friday, July 10th, in the Morton Stadium, Dublin, from 5.30pm with the main programme starting at 6.30pm.

Tickets now available: https://eventmaster.ie/event/42VRh4rFEe

Tickets for Morton Games now on sale!

Summer must be on the way as today Morton Games announces that tickets for this year's meet are on sale. Firmly established on the European athletics calendar this year's meet, a World Athletics Continental tour bronze meet, takes place on Friday, July 10 at the Morton Stadium Dublin.

Feature events include the storied Morton Mile, the Albie Thomas Memorial 5000, women's 400 and two firsts for Morton Games: women's hammer throw and women's mixed classification para 100.

Tickets can be purchased now online costing €15, plus service fees, for adults. U/16's go free without any requirement for a ticket. Adult tickets can be purchased through this link: https://eventmaster.ie/event/42VRh4rFEe

Morton Games events:

Pre-programme from 5:30 PM –

Juvenile relays, U/20 women's mile, U/20 men's mile, men's national mixed class para 100.

Main program from 6:30 PM –

Men: 100, 400, 800, Morton mile, Albie Thomas 5000, shot put.
Women: international mixed class para 100, 400, 800, 1500, 100 hurdles, high jump, hammer throw.

Ronnie Delany RIP

Morton Games is sad to learn of the passing yesterday, March 11 of Ireland’s 1956 Olympic 1500 gold medallist Ronnie Delany.

Delany took Olympic gold at the Melbourne Olympics, and was a finalist again in Rome in 1960. In the 1958 European Championships he took 1500 bronze and in 1961 he won gold in the 800 at the World University Games.

Ronnie Delany’s connection with Morton Games goes back to the 1958 world record mile in Santry when Herb Elliott set a new world mark of 3.54.5 on 6 August with the Olympic gold medallist finishing 3rd in 3.57.5, the first five all running sub four-minute miles, the first time in history that this occurred.

Since that historic night he has been a regular guest at Morton Games, famously at the precursor of the current Morton Games in 2008 which celebrated the 50th anniversary of that monumental dream mile.

Irish athletics has lost one of the true legends of the sport. May he rest in peace.

Morton Games International Programme Confirmed

Morton Games takes place in the Morton Stadium, Dublin, on Friday, July 10. The meet is a World Athletics Continental tour bronze meet and is a World Athletics ranking meet carrying category C points.

The international programme for this year's meet can now be confirmed as follows:

Women : mixed classification para 100, 400, 800, 1500, 100 hurdles, high jump, hammer throw.

Men: 100, 400, 800, the Morton mile, Albie Thomas 5000, shot.

The meet will also as usual include a pre-programme featuring: juvenile relays, U/20 men and women's miles, national mixed classification para 100 and men's U/23 100. Further details will follow.

Spectator tickets for this year's meet will go on sale online in the spring.

Keep an eye on mortongames.ie for updates

Comerford for Morton International Women’s Para 100

Morton Games is proud to confirm the inclusion in the 2026 meet on July 10 of an international mixed classification para women’s 100, this is a first for Morton Games. The organisors have also confirmed the participation of Ireland’s double world champion Orla Comerford (Raheny Shamrock).

Comerford who competes in the T13 classification has represented Ireland at three successive Paralympics, 2016, 2020 and 2024, taking 100 bronze in Paris. At last year’s World Championships in New Delhi she elevated herself to new heights winning gold in both the 100 and 200.

Also confirmed is Ireland’s other top-class para sprinter, Lana Sutton (UCD AC). The T38 Brighton based sprinter made an eye catching international debut at those New Delhi World Championships reaching the final in both the 100 and 200.

Morton Games is both a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet and World Para Athletics approved meet. International para athletes interested in competing are requested to email the meet director with their details:  mortongames@hotmail.com

Women’s Hammer coming to Morton Games

The Morton Games organisers have announced a change to the 2026 programme of events with the inclusion now of an International Women’s Hammer Throw replacing  the Women’s Discus Throw.

This will be a first for Morton Games, although the precursor to the current Morton Games, the Morton Memorial Meet of 2008 did include a women’s hammer which was won by the then world champion Betty Heidler (GER).

The early indications are that July 10 will see athletes of a similar calibre to Heidler gracing the Morton Stadium hammer circle and that being so the stadium of 73.21 standing to Ireland’s Eileen O’Keeffe from 2007 will be under serious threat.

Athletes/Agents interested are requested to contact the meet director by email mortongames@hotmail.com

McPhillips' 800 is the Athletics Ireland Inspirational Award winner

Cian McPhillips’ win in the DCU 800 at this summer’s Morton Games received the ‘inspirational performance on Irish soil’ award at yesterday’s, November 26, annual Athletics Ireland awards lunch held at the Crown Plaza hotel in Santry.

McPhillips won the 800 at this summer’s World Athletics Continental tour meet in Morton Stadium from a top-class field, his winning time of 1.44.19 was not only a meet and Stadium record but was the qualifying standard for the Tokyo World Championships. It proved to be the platform from which McPhillips launched himself onto the world stage. In Tokyo he won his 800 heat and semi-final and in the final was a fraction off the podium placing 4th setting an Irish record of 1.42.15 becoming the 1st Irish man to run sub- 1.43.

This is the second successive year that the performance of an Irish athlete at Morton Games has received the inspirational award following on the heels of Cathal Doyle’s 2024 Morton mile victory.

Morton Games congratulates Cian and looks forward to more inspirational performances at Morton Games on July 10, 2026.

Morton Games confirmed for July 10th 2026

Morton Games is delighted to announce the confirmed date for the next edition of Morton Games, World Athletics Continental tour (bronze) : Friday, July 10 at the Morton Stadium, Dublin.

The meet will include all the events which provided such outstanding entertainment and excitement in the summer of 2025, a meet which saw four new Stadium records set before a record attendance.

A new men’s 400 record was set by Argentina’s Elian Larregina of 45.09, in the women’s 1500 a massive 4 second Stadium record of 4.00.71 was set by Galbija Galvydyte of Lithuania as both she and second-place finisher Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN) also hit the world qualifying mark for Tokyo. A feat also achieved by Ireland’s Cian McPhillips in the 800 as he clocked 1.44.19. McPhillips subsequently went on to have a magnificent series of races at the world Championships in Tokyo where he set two new Irish records and finished in an outstanding 4th position in the 800 final.

Then in the fabled Morton Mile Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran, took his 2nd Morton mile win and in the process consigned Will Leer’s 2014 mark to the history books as he set a new meet and Stadium record of 3.51.12.

The international programme will include the following events:

Women – 100 hurdles, 400, 800, 1500, high jump, discus.

Men – 100, 400, 800, Morton mile, Albie Thomas 5000, shot.

Further details of the meet will issue over the coming months. In the meantime note the date and we look forward to welcoming you back to another Morton magical night.

Morton Games 2025 ranked 21st Bronze

This year’s Morton Games, which took place on the 11 of July at Morton Stadium has received its highest ever ranking on the World Athletics Continental Tour. World Athletics rankings show Morton Games as the 21st bronze level World Athletics Continental Tour meet.

Equally impressive is the overall performance rankings by score of all World Athletics Continental Tour meets, (gold, silver, bronze and challenger) with Morton Games sitting in 57th position.

Andrew Coscoran’s Morton mile win in a new stadium record of 3.51.12 was the fastest mile in any WACT bronze meet in 2025.

Whilst the organisers are delighted with this news, rust never sleeps and planning is already well underway for 2026 and the continued upward trajectory of Morton Games. The next Morton Games will take place on Friday, July 10, 2026 at Morton Stadium, Dublin. Further details will be released early in the New Year, athletes and fans alike can look forward to another magical night climaxing with the storied Morton mile.