A typical Eamonn Christie track meet was delivered on a glorious day at the Mary Peters Track on Saturday, May 10.
The 10th anniversary edition of the Belfast Irish Milers Meet, in association with Tripadvisor, produced outstanding performances and was a testament to the race director for putting together such high-calibre start lists, and a timetable that was run to perfection.
The Belfast City Council-sponsored Junior 1000m races kicked off the day of events, with young runners from Scotland, Lagan Valley Athletics Club, St Bride's Primary School and North Belfast Harriers taking victory.
Canadian Olympian Gabriela Debues-Stafford stormed to victory in the Women’s 3000m, clocking an outstanding 8:39.35 to kick start the official race programme. The double Olympian had a commanding lead from the gun, and with three laps to go, pushed the pace to win in less than six seconds outside her 8:33 personal best.
Tomer Tarragano from Brighton and Hover Athletics Club took victory in the men’s international 3000m in 7:47.32, a staggering six-second personal best. Italian Mohad Abdikadar Sheik Ali finished second in 7:54.65, ahead of British athlete Zakariya Mahamed in 7:58.44.
Irish athlete Darragh McElhinney had a gusty run in the men’s international 1500m to win in 3:37.86. McElhinney went straight to the front and tucked in behind the pacemaker before gradually winding up the pace over the last 600m to hold off a fast finishing Ryan Martin from Scotland.
Eamonn Christie 
Ryan Martin ran an eight-second personal best to finish in a time of 3:38.23, a UK U23 leading time. Alex Melloy rounded off the podium in 3:38.98.
The women’s international 1500m was won by British athlete Eleanor Strevens in a personal best time of 4:14.61.
Strevens had a gun to tape victory, but a late surge from Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club's Eimear Maher saw her close to almost take the win, but was rewarded a huge personal best of 4:14.87.
Emily Bolton from Clonliffe Harriers Athletics Club concluded the podium in 3rd and had a fantastic performance, improving her personal best, which she set the previous week by over six seconds. Bolton needed a time of 4:19 to qualify for the European U20 Championships and ran 4:16.77 at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet.
Bolton wasn’t the only junior athlete to obtain championship qualifying standards at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet.
Cillian Gleeson of Celbridge Athletics Club finished 8th in the international 3000m and recorded a European U20 championship qualifying standard for Ireland.
The sprints events produced some fantastic performances, particularly local athlete Hugo Magee of Fast Twitch Athletics Club ran a massive personal best to win the 400m International race in 46.95, Magee’s first time dipping under 47 seconds for the one-lap race.
Race Director Eamonn Christie has the ability to produce world-class fields in the 800m international races, and this 10th year was no exception.
The men’s international 800m saw Justin Davies run 1:44.35 to win the race, break the Welsh Record, set a personal best and achieve the British Athletics world championships qualifying standard, and set a new Mary Peters Stadium record.
The entire men’s 800m field dipped under the infamous 1:45 barrier, with Henry Jonas finishing second in 1:44.72 and Tiarnan Croken in 1:44.98.
Jonas’ performance now ranks the British athlete 9th on the UK U23 all-time list and was inside British Athletics' consideration standard for the World Championships.
To round off the day, the Ardent Wealth women’s international 800m was won by British athlete Abigail Ives. Ives stormed down the home straight in a final surge to win in a new personal best 1:59.49. Ives broke two minutes for the first time in Belfast in 2023, which has remained her fastest time to date.
Abigail Ives won the Women’s 800m
Ives set a European U23 lead with her win in Belfast and a University of Birmingham record. Ives will feature highly in the European U23 championships later this summer.
Grace Van Agnew finished in second place in a new personal best of 2:00.45. Van Agnew took the race on with 300m, and narrowly missed hanging on to take victory.
Ireland's Jenna Bromell produced an outstanding run to finish third. The Emerald Athletics Club athlete clocked 2:00.53, her fastest ever outing over 800m, which moved her from 14th on the Irish all-time list to fifth.
Vanessa Scaunet of Belgium ran 2:01.05 to break the Belgian record. Scaunet, a regular feature on the 800m start line in Belfast, finished just outside the podium places, ahead of rising British star Shaikira King.
“It was an absolutely fantastic day of athletics,” said Race Director Eamonn Christie.
Those performances in the international races were outstanding, and it was great to see the younger athletes achieving championship qualifying standards.
“Most athletes I spoke to ran personal bests, and that’s what it’s all about. I’m incredibly thankful to all the athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, sponsors, media, friends and family, and already looking forward to some exciting announcements in the coming weeks.”
Coverage of the 2025 Belfast Irish Milers Meet can be found on the Belfast Irish Milers Meet official YouTube channel @Belfastirishmilers
