BAM 69th Cork City Sports Returns July 5th

BAM 69th Cork City Sports Returns July 5th as a World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) Bronze meeting.

On July 5th at the MTU stadium in Bishopstown, Irelands premier athletics meeting returns after a two-year absence due to Covid restrictions. We are delighted to have the support of BAM Ireland once again as our title sponsors.

As a WACT Bronze meeting, athletes will receive higher ranking points towards qualification for major championships. This year the meeting is within the qualification window for the European Championships in Munich this August, so it also offers athletes the opportunity for achieving qualification. A lot of Irish and International stars will be competing on the night chasing ranking points, prize money and qualification standards.

Included in the list of international stars is two-time Olympic Champion and three times World Champion over 800m, Caster Semenya. The South African will compete in the 3000m looking to impress ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Her main opposition will come from Irelands rising star Sarah Healy who recently set a new Irish U23 record in the 1500m of 4.02.86 to rise to fourth on the Irish all-time list.

There are a host of Irish stars who will be competing including Corks Louise Shanahan who recently set a new Irish record in the 800m. Louise has postponed her trip to the World Championships to compete in front of her home crowd.

Bandon’s Phil Healy, who is a great supporter of Cork City Sports, will be attempting to run a double in the woman’s 100M and 400M.

Darragh McIlhenny has confirmed that he is going to attempt to rewrite the 17-year-old meeting record in the men’s 3000m. The record is held by the great Craig Mottram. This would be a major achievement in front of a Cork crowd. Darragh will be pushed by other Irish athletes such as Sean Tobin, Hiko Tonosa, and teenage star Nick Griggs. He will also have British opposition from Andrew Butchert who has been a star on the Diamond League circuit for some years and Jude Thomas of Australia.

Andrew Coscoran will be looking to take the Mile and with the form he is in who would bet against him.

Sarah Lavin has been in superb form over the last year and will be looking to run sub 13 seconds on Irish soil in the 100M Hurdles. Eric Favors who recently broke the thirty year old Irish record in the Shot Putt will be competing against a strong field.

There will also be inter firm relays competitions and Junior races in addition to the international events. These have proved very popular over the past few years.

The Cork City Sports Committee wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Irish Sports Council, Sport Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Athletics Ireland and Cork County Board AAI. We would like to thank our event sponsors, Cork Airport, Cork Education and Training Board, Johnson Controls, John Buckley Sports, AON, Musgraves SuperValue/Centra, the River Lee Hotel, FDC Financial Services, JCD Group, Glenilen Farm, O’Leary Insurance Group and Media sponsors, the Echo and Cork 96FM C103. We also wish to thank our Event Host, Munster Technological University and the Defence Forces for their ongoing support.

It will be a great evening of sport at MTU for all the family who will be able to see the stars of Irish and World athletics at first hand.

Tony O’Connell                                                                    Joe Hartnett
Chairman                                                                             Meet Director
info@tonyoconnell.ie                                                            joehartnett.ccs@gmail.com