Time is fast running out for Irish athletes still trying to qualify for the European Championships. The deadline is Sunday week, with the championships getting under way in Zurich three weeks later.
So qualifying opportunities don't come much better than this evening's Morton Games in Santry, revived in recent years and now established as the premier athletics meeting in the country.
For those Irish athletes already qualified it’s also the opportunity to test themselves against the best in the world, the international action getting under way at 7pm.
That includes Thomas Barr, who competes against Jehue Gordon from Trinidad, the reigning World champion over 400m hurdles. Barr is ranked third fastest in Europe with his Irish record of 48.90, and if anyone can push him to improve on that it's Gordon, who ran 47.69 in Moscow last summer to win his world title.
Barr produced another sub-50 second run in Cork on Tuesday
, clocking 49.95 in not ideal conditions, but will want to go closer to his Irish record this time. “This is what every athlete is looking for, high-calibre races like this,” he said.
Mark English and Paul Robinson have also qualified for Zurich well in advance, English over 800m and Robinson over 1,500m. Here they go head-to-head over 800m.
The feature event, the Morton Mile, includes another Zurich-bound athlete in David McCarthy, who has now returned to full race fitness after injury. Of the 16 entries, 13 have already run under four minutes, including last year's champion Cory Leslie from the US who last year ran the fastest Morton Mile in 30 years with his 3:55.86.
Among those still chasing qualifying times for Zurich is Brian Gregan, over 400m, and again he will be pushed by some world-class opposition, including Manteo Mitchell from the US and former European indoor champion Johan Wissman from Sweden.
Gregan needs to go under 46 seconds to ensure his selection and that should be within his reach on the night.
There is also a high-quality women's 800m, with Laura Crowe eyeing the 2:01.30 that would get her to Zurich.
Meanwhile, Athletics Ireland have selected nine Athletes for the IAAF World Junior Championships, which begin on Tuesday week at Eugen, Oregon.
Irish junior record holder Marcus Lawler (St Laurence O'Toole AC) is in the 200m along with Zak Irwin (Sligo AC). Niamh McNicol (Ferrybank AC) and Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) go in the women's 200m
Karl Griffin (UCD AC), Robert Tully (Star of the Sea AC), Siofra Cléirigh Buttner (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Aislinn Crossey (Newry AC) are all selected in the 800m, with Ireland's sole representation in the field events Emma O'Hara (Galway City Harriers AC) in the hammer.
