The Belfast Classic, which is set to take place at the Mary Peters Track on Saturday 9th May 2026, has been ranked the leading UK and Ireland track meet in the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger Events rankings for the past two consecutive years.
Last week, Race Director Eamonn Christie took to social media to announce that The Belfast Classic has been awarded a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger Status for the 2026 edition. The Belfast track meet has been part of the World Athletics tour since 2022.
“I’m delighted to retain a World Athletics permit for the first edition of The Belfast Classic” commented Eamonn Christie.
The 2024 and 2025 editions placed 34th and 33rd in the World Athletics rankings in the challenger tour events, and with less than six months to go until race day, the Belfast track meet has already attracted a high calliper of athletes.
“Having the permit not only means athletes gain world athletics ranking points, it also means the meet is on the world athletics calendar which definitely helps attract athletes from all over the world, as my inbox has been overflowing” said Christie.
Following on from prestigious names leading the way in the Ardent Wealth Women’s International 800m, race director Eamonn Christie has an inbox full of agents pencilling in athletes wishing to compete in Belfast, in May.
An addition to the Women’s 800m start list will be Lucy Armitage, a semi finalist in the 2025 World University Games. The British athlete holds a personal best of 2:00.96 from the 2025 track season, and could go sub 2 minutes for the 2 lap distance in Belfast.
European under 20 silver medalist Tom Waterworth is also set to compete at The Belfast Classic. Waterworth ran the fastest ever 800m heat in the history of the European under 20 Championships, at the 2025 championships. The British junior athlete will be an exciting addition to the men’s 800m.
Both Armitage and Waterworth are managed by Tom Bosworth at Blue Carpet Management.
Another race agent, Dave Scott at Astra Partners has already confirmed a host of athletes set to compete in the women’s international 800m, and has pencilled in British athlete Piers Copeland.
Copeland will feature highly in the men's international 1500m with his 3:34 personal best, and could be a favourite to break the meeting record of 3:37.86 set by Irish athlete Darragh McElhinney in 2025.
Race Director Eamonn Christie has also confirmed the return of second and third placers from the 2025 men’s international 1500m, Ryan Martin and Alex Melloy. The pair had a close finish behind McElhinney, finishing in 3:38.23 and 3:38.98. The men’s international 1500m will be sponsored by long time sponsor Tripadvisor.
Pictured: Darragh McElhinney 292 winning the 2025 men’s international 1500m in a meeting record. Perri Williams
The good news continues for The Belfast Classic, as recent announcements state the 2026 edition will also feature a relay event for the first time in the history of the Belfast Meet.
Christie was approached by several high performance coaches from the Home Countries seeking the possibility of hosting a mixed 4x4 relay at the Belfast track meet in May.
With the Commonwealth Games and European Championships taking place in 2026, athletes from the home countries are seeking qualifying standards for the mixed relay event, and with the reputation Eamonn Christie’s track meet has grown over the past ten years, it appears to deliver a great day of athletic performances.
“Relays are not something that have featured at the track meet in the last ten years, but I set the track meet up with the intentions of it being athlete focused, in the hope to see athletes both national and local achieving qualifying standards for championships, so it will be an exciting edition to the race programme in 2026” commented Race Director Eamonn Christie.
With less than 6 months to go until The Belfast Classic and only two months until the athlete entries open on Sunday 18th January 2026 - athletes will not only need May 9th pencilled in their diaries, they will need January 18th as entries have sold out in record breaking time for the past three editions.
Christie’s meet is arguably the only track meet in the country that sells out in less than half an hour. Some races closed after 5 minutes last year, and within 14 minutes entries for the entire meet were sold out!
Whilst entries sell out in record breaking time, The 2026 Belfast Classic will remain free admission for spectators, and offers free live coverage by Mobile Media, on The Belfast Classic YouTube Channel.
All images: Perri Williams