by Perri Williams
The second weekend in May has been the preserve of the Belfast Irish Milers International Meeting for the past few years. A few months on from the crazy few minutes were athletes and coaches are on tender hooks trying to get their entries in as quickly as possible. Usually sold out in a few minutes, it has fast become one of the most popular races on the Irish athletics calendar. And with good reason too. The beautiful almost Amphitheatre like setting boosts a fast track, protection from inclement weather. And somehow the sun seems to come with the meeting every year. I am not sure how Eamonn Christie organises that, but he does organize everything else from sponsorship to the caliber of athletes taking part.
The highlight of the programme every year has been the International 800m, which for the ladies has seen several sub-2-minute runs over the past few years. Ciara Mageean, Louise Shanahan and last year’s revelation the 17-year-old Pheobe Gill. Mageean was missed this year and by Christie too as he was one of her first ever coaches. Gill was down to race but had to withdraw due to injury. That did not matter too much, there were still some top-class runners to take over the mantle. This year’s mantle fell to Abbie Ives.
Ives crossed the line in a time of 1:59.49, only her second ever time under the 2 minute barrier and a new personal best, improving on her 2023 time of 1:59.92. This season opener places Ives in third place on the British u23 ranking list. Behind her the second and third placed athletes also had personal bests. Fellow Brit, Grace Vans Agnew finished second in 2:00.45 with Emerald AC’s Jenna Brommell in third with a World Athletics B standard of 2:00.53.
The men’s international race was won by Justin Davis with a new personal best of 1:44.35, which is a Welsh National Record and a World Athletics Qualifying standard for Britain.
The men’s 1,500m International race was Darragh McIlhenny told off a strong challenge from Ryan Martin to cross the line in 3:37.86 just .14 shy of his 2022 personal best of 3:37.72. In the same race Mullingar’s Cormac Dalton just back from a stint of altitude training finished fourth in a new personal best of 3:42.38. There were further PBs from Mullingar’s Jack O’Leary (3:45.12) and An Riochts Oisin Murray (3:45.60) who had yet another magical performance.
The ladies International 1500m was won by Eleanor Strevens also with a new personal best of 4:14.61. Dundrum South Dublin’s Eimear Maher was a very close second with a time of 4:14.87 which is both a personal best and inside the B standard for the u23 European’s. Maher was just .87 off the A standard of 4:14.00. She now has both the 1500m and 5000m equivalent (from her 3000m in Clonmel last week). Emily Bolton (Clonliffe) finished third in 4:16.27 which is inside both the EYOF and European u20 qualifying standards. Bolton knocked almost five seconds off her previous best which she set just last week in Clonmel. While this may be early in the season, Bolton now has the accolade of being the top ranked 1500m runner u18 in Europe. Eight seconds ahead of her nearest opponent. She is also ranked fourth u20 and seventh overall in Ireland this season. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old. In the same race Gemma Galvin (Ennis Track) secured the u20 standard with her 4th place finish of 4:18.39. Galvin has now obtained both the 800m and 1500m u20 qualifying standards. Her time from Belfast ranks her 9th in the European u20 ranking list for 1500m.
Gabriela DeBues Stafford was a runaway winner of the opening race - the women’s 3000m. Coached by former UK Steeplechase record holder Mark Rowland, De Bues Stafford is currently based in Edinburgh. The multiple Canadian national record holder recorded 8:39.35 almost half a minute ahead of the second placed athlete, West Limericks Ida Nic Dhomhnaill. Bandon AC athlete Fiona Everard was third in 9:13.38, a new personal best. The men’s race was won by Tomer Tarragano (GB) with a personal best of 7:47.32. Behind him Behind, Italian Mohad Abdikadar Sheik Ali (7:54.65) and Zak Mahamed (7:58.44) both ran sub eight minutes. The first Irish athlete home was Parnell AC’s Noah Harris who ran a brave race keeping up with the leaders for all but the final 300m. Harris was rewarded for his efforts with a new personal best of 8:08.13 which is a European u20 standard. Also gaining a new personal best and a European u20 standard was Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge). Coached by Feilim Kelly of Dublin Track Club, Gleeson chose a different tactic and maintained his pace throughout the race, finishing very strongly in the final lap to close down on Harris and record a time of 8:09.99. There were further PBs from CNDR’s Tony McCambridge (8:09.67), Tullamore’s Michael Murphy (8:18.52) and CNDR’s Luke Dinsmore (8:23.70) in the same international race.
There was a notable absence of our top 400m runners as they were on international duty in China for the World Relays. In their absence, victory went to Britian’s Tess McHugh, crossing the line in a PB of 52.62 from fellow clubmate Natasha Harrison. Hugo McGee (Fast Twitch AC) won the men’s international race in PB of 46.95.
Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) won the men’s 100m and Ciara Neville (Emerald) took the ladies crown. Adam Murphy (Tinryland) took the 200m victory with Katie Bergin (Moyne AC) the ladies.
Throughout the day, there were a plethora of additional personal bests in the other graded events, making the Belfast Irish Milers, once again a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.