WEEKEND ROUND UP 9TH -10TH OF MAY 2026 (Belfast International Classic)
12 May 2026
The Mary Peters Track hosted the first major track meeting of the year on Saturday. The Belfast Classic was once again blessed with dry sunny weather which led to some great performances from both our local athletes and visitors who came from all over Europe.
Three Mary Peters Track records were broken with Millie Courtney-Bryant running 4.04.50 to shatter the existing Women’s 1500m track record that had stood since 2010 by just over five seconds. Niamh Carr (DCH) was first local home in 4.17.12, just outside her personal best. In the men’s 3000m, Henry McLuckie broke Steve Ovetts record that had stood since 1991, with a time of 7.43.64, shaving just under two seconds off Ovetts’ historic record. Callum Morgan (CNDR TC) battled hard over the last lap to finish second in a PB of 7.47.62, taking a massive nine seconds off his previous best. The Cardiff Men’s 4 X 100 relay also broke the previous relay record held by Scotland since 2019, running an impressive 39.87.
The women’s 3000m was won by Sweden’s Carmen Cernjul who ran 8.56.98 and Zoe Toland (CNDR TC) was the first NI athlete home, running a PB of 9.09.45 to finish fifth.
England’s Ben Pattison, former world championship medallist, was a very impressive winner of the men’s international 1500m in 3.37.96, with Frank Bucanan (CNDR TC) as the first local home in 3.44.19, just a fraction outside his PB.
The International men’s 800m produced one of the closest races of the day, with Henry Jonas narrowly taking the win from Jack Higgins in 1:45.76. North Belfast’s Andrew Thompson finished 7th in 1:47.08 which was just outside the Commonwealth Games consideration standard. Clara Casey (Foyle Valley AC) ran a PB of 2:08.96 to finish third in the Women’s B 800m. Scotland’s Sarah Calvert won the International race in 2:01.90.
The women’s 400m races featured many of Irelands relay squad who competed in the World Relay Championships which were held in Botswana the previous weekend. Sophie Becker just lost out to England’s Charlotte Henrich, who ran 51.24. Rachel McCann (North Down AC) was first local home, running an outdoor PB of 53.03 to finish fourth. Adam Courtney was the best of the locals in the men’s 400m, running 48.42 to finish third in the men’s A race. England’s Sam Lunt was the fastest of the day clocking 45.89 in the men’s international race.
Joshua Awujoala (Fast Twitch Athletics) won the men’s 100m. Running into a headwind, he clocked 10.84, just holding off Ireland’s Reakwon Lucciano who ran 10.89.
Anna McAuley (City of Lisburn AC), also running into a headwind, ran 24.61 to finish fourth in the women’s 200m. The Men’s 200m featured British Olympian Jeremiah Azu, who again despite the headwind, ran a PB of 20.73 to take the win. Ballymena and Antrim’s Craig Newell finished sixth in 21.90.