STARS of Irish athletics will descend upon the Mary Peters Track on May 29 for the Belfast Irish Milers Meet that has been awarded the prestigious European Permit.
 
It will be a bumper event that has captured the imagination of athletes throughout the country with entries closed shortly after opening due to huge numbers signing up.
 
Organiser, Eamonn Christie has said he is overwhelmed by the response to the Meet that has attracted some of Irish athletics’ top talents including Olympians and Olympic hopefuls, plus many more who are aiming to gain ranking points that could help earn places at next year’s European Championships and Commonwealth Games.
 
With Covid restrictions starting to ease, Christie is also hopeful that some spectators will be able to attend for an event that promises to be a major highlight in the city’s sporting calendar in 2021.

“At this stage I am overwhelmed by not just the quantity, but quality of athletes who have entered,” he said.
 
“The first day I opened entries, by 9pm that night I had to close them again because at that stage, due to the Covid restrictions, I didn’t want to take people’s money and promise them a race if I wasn’t able to deliver that.
 
“It will be an exceptional day of athletics and if permitted, it will be free to come and watch. People will be guaranteed a great day and I’m hopeful we will be allowed some people to attend.
 
“I’ll abide by the government restrictions in any case, but I’m hopeful all will go as planned.
 
“I’m very grateful to my main sponsor Kinetica and all of the other sponsors for coming on board.
 
“This is going to be my biggest event ever. I’ve got close to 500 entries and have two Irish Olympians coming up to take part in the steeplechase in Michelle Finn and Kerry O’Flaherty.
 
“I also have a girl for England called Eleanor Bolton coming over who is going to try to get the Olympic standard, so that will be an exciting race.”
 
There will be plenty of excitement on the day, but Christie has marked out the men’s 1500m and women’s 800m as the main races to look out for given the standard of the field.

Michelle Finn
3Gallery

Michelle Finn

Longford’s Cian McPhillips is touted as one of the rising stars of Irish athletics with the 18-year-old running the fastest-ever time by an U20 at the recent European Indoor Championships. He will take part in the 1500m alongside Irish team-mates with an Irish record holder also set to compete in the women’s 200m and 400m events.

“I have four Irishmen who made the finals of the European Indoors there recently from the all-conquering Dublin Track Club who are coming up to grace the Mary Peters Track with their presence,” Christie confirmed.
 
“Cian McPhillips is touted as the next big Irish running star and also made the finals of the European Indoors. He is from the same town as a guy called Ray Flynn who holds the Irish mile record and he is coming up to run.
 
“We also got news that Ireland’s fastest-ever woman over shorter distances, Phil Healy, who has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics will also be up to take part in the 200 and 400 metres.”
 
In the women’s 800m, the field is equally as strong with local star Katie Kirk joined by Georgie Hartigan, Louise Shanahan and possibly Nadia Power who all took part in the European Indoors.
 
Hartigan was born in England but wears the green vest through her Irish grandmother, but will not be the first athlete to grace the South Belfast venue as her mother, Bev, holds a record for the all-comers mile at the Mary Peters Track.

Cian McPhillips
3Gallery

Cian McPhillips

“As it stands, this is shaping up to be the best track meet held in Ireland for a number of years and has the added attraction because of the European permit,” said Christie.
 
“There are ranking points up for grabs so that has been an excellent feather in the cap for us this year in that a lot of athletes are targeting the event to gain points, not only for the Olympic Games, but for next year’s European Championships and the Commonwealth Games taking place in Birmingham.
 
“I have been getting emails and texts from athletes looking to get in, but the woman’s 800 metres is shaping up to be one of the strongest events.”
 
Both races have attracted sponsorship and therefore will have very attractive prize money for the winner and also bonuses for those who set and Belfast Irish Miler Meet record or reach the Olympic standard time.
 
Having been recognised by European Athletics, the event has an added prestige this year and the rewards reflect its raised status.
 
“The men’s 1500 metres is being dubbed an ‘elite’ race and is sponsored by Kind Snacks, an Irish-based not for profit company that is a regular contributor to charities, while the women’s 800 is sponsored by EI Engineering from Donegal and with the support of these companies, the prize money is the best around in Ireland this year,” Christie added.
 
“There are also bonuses available for setting a Belfast Irish Miler record, so there is great incentive for the athletes in terms of finance as-well-as ranking points and reaching the Olympic standard.”