Athletics - Mageean to headline Morton Games

European 1500m bronze medallist Ciara Mageean (UCD) headlines the Morton Games (July 22) in Santry as she eyes the Irish 800m record while Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) had to withdraw from the heptathlon at the World U20 Championships in Poland.

This will be Mageean’s last race before going to the Olympics and she will be eyeing Rose-Anne Galligan’s Irish record of 2:00.58 set in 2013. She will face competition from the likes of Australia’s Brittany McGowan and Great Britain’s Alexandra Bell.

Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) was in 9th place after two events of the heptathlon but had to withdraw due to a knee injury. She had clocked 13.84 for the 100m hurdles and 1.68m in the high jump.

Paul Robinson (St Coca’s) will mount the Irish challenge in the blue riband event – the Morton mile.  Another top international field in this event includes 2011 Morton mile winner Jordan McNamara (USA) and Kyle Merber (USA) who won the 2014 Cork City Sports Mile.

The women’s Mile sees the late addition to the field of Katie Mackey (USA) who finished 6th at the US trials in the 5000m. Great Britain’s 2011 world 1500m silver medallist Hannah England is also a late inclusion.

All of Ireland’s top female sprinters including Amy Foster (City of Lisburn), Joan Healy (Bandon), Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) and Catherine McManus (DCH) will line up in the women’s 100m while Marcus Lawler (SLOT) features in the men’s 100m. David Gillick (DSD) will be in the men’s 400m.

Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) has withdrawn as a precaution from the 400m hurdles due to a slight injury in order to protect himself from further damage in the lead up to the Rio Olympics. The event will still feature Trinidad and Tobago’s 2013 world champion Jehue Gordon.

Irish athletes in action in the World U20 Championships July 22

Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport) 200m heat 11am

Women’s 4x100m relay: heats 17:00

Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport), Ciara Neville (Emerald), Gina Akpe-Moses (Blackrock & Birchfield) Molly Scott (St. L O'Toole), Janine Boyle (Finn Valley), Lauren Ryan (Dooneen)

Men’s 4x100m relay: heats 17:30

Eoin Doherty (Tallaght), Joseph Ojewumi (Tallaght), Sean Lawlor (Donore Harriers) Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers) David McDonald (Menapians)