Barr and English shatter stadium records at Morton Games

Thomas Barr and Mark English shattered stadium records at tonight’s Morton Games.

A total of seven stadium records fell in the famous old Stadium with Waterford man Barr bringing the house down after the very first race.

Barr was just 0.04 seconds of his own national record as he blasted past reigning World champion Trinidad’s Jehune Gordon to take gold in 48.94 seconds.

“I saw him stumble on hurdle nine and I thought I have him” Barr explained. “Winning on home soil is a brilliant feeling especially beating the World champion.”

“My confidence directly after Cork was knocked, but with the conditions tonight it was something else. I’d rather blow out now, then do it at the Europeans” said Barr.

Donegal flyer Mark English blasted home in the 800 meters taking the running up with 300 meters to go and dashing home in 1:45.30, breaking his own stadium record.

“It was a perfect race really as the two pace makers sheltered me” English explained afterwards.

“Well there was one pace marker, the other guy was as good as pace maker.”

“I felt the race was going a bit slow, so I picked it up at 600, I always knew I could win the race” English brimmed.

“I’m very confident with the European’s coming up, I think I can really give it a blast in Zurich next month," he added.

The night’s main event didn’t disappoint as American mile king Will Leer shattered the 34 -year-old Morton mile record in 3.51.82.

It was disappointment for Ciaran O’Lionard making his first appearance in Ireland two years finishing 13th overall in 4.00.88 after leading the race for the majority.

O’Lionard had aimed to win the Morton mile and book his place at the European championships in Zurich next month, with the organisers arranging a special 1500 time.

O ’Lionard blasted into the lead with just under two laps reaming, but tied up very quickly loosing ground over the final lap.

Donore Harriers' John Travers surprised everyone by dipping under the four minute mark for the first time in 3.55.44 and grabbing the European championship standard clocking 3:37.27

Seven stadium records fell on a calm and still Dublin night with both the men’s and women’s 100 metres falling.

Molly Huddle grabbed the women’s mile record in 4.26.84, while Mexico’s Juan Luis Barrios set a new 3,000 meter record in 7:44.21.