English and Mageean star Irish attractions
Mark English and Ciara Mageean will spearhead the home interest at tonight’s Morton Games and, with a little over five weeks until the World Championships, it’s a key chance for them against international rivals.
English will have one eye on his time during tonight’s 800m, the Donegal man needing the world qualifying standard of 1:45.80. With the pacemaker expected to go through halfway in 50 seconds, the stage is set for English to book his spot. His chief rivals will be Isaiah Harris, Erik Sowinski and Harun Abda.
Mageean could threaten the Irish record of 2:00.58 in the women’s 800m, where she faces a formidable field that includes 1:59 athlete Jenna Westaway of Canada.
Brian Gregan will make his long-awaited return in the men’s 400m, after two years of injury. In the concluding Morton Mile, John Travers holds the best chance for the Irish, the national 1500m champion hoping to rewrite his personal best of 3:55.44. Andrew Coscoran seems primed to dip under four minutes for the first time in a race where USA’s Sam Prakel, Justyn Knight and Robert Domanic will test him.
In the men’s 100m, 9.94-second man Ameer Webb will square off with fellow American Demek Kemp. Phil Healy races in the 200m takes on Dutch athlete Tessa van Schagen and Chile’s Isidora Jiminez. The main programme starts at 6:45pm, with entrance €10 and under-16s free with an adult. Live coverage on FreeSports (Sky channel 422) from 7:15pm.
