The 1500m (and its imperial near-equivalent, the mile) is a wonderful distance. Fast and furious, slow and tactical, or steady with a gradual and sustained burn-up, it is always exciting, but especially where there are championship medals on the line.
The standard doesn’t always have to be elite for races to be interesting, but with the maximum six spots filled at both the Olympics in Paris and the World Championships in Budapest, Ireland is currently experiencing a golden age of metric milers.
And over the past five years, we’ve been treated to some particularly special 1500m and mile races, involving Irish athletes, at home and abroad.
These are some of our favourites.
Who even won this one?
Robinson versus Tobin, Irish National Senior Men’s 1500m final, 23 August 2020
A few weeks later than originally planned, the 2020 Irish Championships stretched out over two weekends in late August. Fans were banned. Coaches watched through the gate from Santry Park. With additional Covid-19 restrictions in place in Kildare, some athletes couldn’t even make it to north Dublin. And with Olympic qualification suspended, there were no world ranking points on offer.
Deprived of athletics action for much of the preceding six months, the average athletics fan would have watched snails race on a treadmill by this point; some probably already had. The athletes, too, were desperate to make the most of every available race opportunity. And Athletics Ireland dearly wanted to maintain the unbroken streak of national championships, which stretches back to 7 July, 1873.
Any sort of racing would have sufficed; a race finish going viral (still too soon, perhaps?) across the world was more than anyone could have wished for.
The men’s 1500m, which concluded session five on the first weekend, featured two names we’d already heard a lot about, along with one we were to hear more of in the future.
Paul Robinson won the national indoor 1500m title in 2011 and made his senior debut over the distance at the European Championships in Helsinki in 2012. He competed in the 800m at the World Championships in Moscow in 2013, after winning the national 800m title, and was fourth over 1500m at the European U23 Championships, set an Irish U23 1500m record of 3:35.22 (which stood until July 2024) and finish ninth in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships. 2014 picked up where 2013 left off, with new personal bests over 1,000m (2:17.93); mile (3:54.77), 3000m (7:58.56) and 5000m (13:54.34) and a fabulous fourth place at the European Championships in Zurich. At just 23 years of age, the future looked bright for Robinson and Irish middle-distance running.
Also in 2014, aged just 19, Seán Tobin, clocked 3:59.91 to become the youngest Irish athlete (at the time) to break four minutes for the mile. He won his first national senior title, over 1500m, in 2017, the year he set his still-standing 1500m (3:41.80) and mile (3:57.00) personal bests. Tobin competed in the senior race at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and the 2017, 2018 and 2019 European Cross Country Championships. His 10th place finish in 2018 made him the first (and, to date, only) Irish male athlete to ever finish top 10 in both the Junior/U20 and Senior races at Euro Cross. He also competed at the 2019 European Indoor Championships, over 3000m.
Andrew Coscoran, five years Robinson’s junior, was just starting to make waves. He made his senior international debut at the European Team Championships in 2019, and ran 3:37.98 indoors in February 2020. He was the reigning national senior indoor champion, and was looking to add his first national outdoor title, after silver in 2019.
***
Tobin shot into the lead approximately 50 metres in, and led through 400m in around 58 seconds. Coscoran, who had initially tried to follow, was by then 5 metres back, leading the chase.
Tobin continued to push the pace, and build the lead, into the wind. By 800m, reached in around 1:58, the gap was a good 20 metres, Robinson now the one trying to bridge the gap.
Tobin’s lead over Robinson was down to about 10 metres with a lap to go, Coscoran a further 15 or 20 metres behind.
With 300m to go, it was still Tobin, with Robinson about the bridge the gap.
Both really wanted to win.
Both had a little bit of speed in the arsenal.
Watch what happened next without spoilers here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtsPqWFaXOE
A bit like the famous 10,000m finish between Paul Target and Haile Gebresalise at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, watching this back it’s easy for the mind to think that there’ll be a different outcome: that the hunted will be easily slain on that home straight, that the hunter, the one with the 1:45.86 800m speed, poised with 100m to go, will easily glide past. We’ve watched championship races before. We know how this ends.
But the race-watching mind doesn’t know everything.
Tobin rallied. A National title was important to him too.
They strained. They leaned. Only the photo finish could decide this one.
Two hundreds of a second separated them in the end.
Entertainment we were all long overdue.
Relive the race from the start here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsv_LRD346c&t=6732s
Robinson, for the record, did get the nod, but it hardly seems to matter now who won; they’ll both be remembered for their part in what was a truly memorable race, one where winning was all that mattered.
Coscoran, the future Irish record holder, completed the Dublin Track Club sweep, and probably picked up a thing or two about close finishes that day. He made the Olympic semi-final the following year.
Tobin went on to win the 10,000m title on the second weekend of the championships. He ran a marathon in Antarctica in 2022, and he made the Irish team for the 2024 European Cross Country Championships, but injuries mean that we have, as yet, to see his full potential. Could 2025 be the year?
Robinson’s career, thwarted by injury after 2014, continues to ebb and flow. He ran 3:36.57 in February 2024, a reminder of what could have been.
Cian McPhillips, who finished fifth, went on to win the European U20 championships in 2021. He too knows all too well the burden of talent and the frustration of injury.
Athletics is anything but predictable. Perhaps that’s what makes it so appealing.
Morton Mile Classic
Coscoran, Doyle and the rest, Morton Mile, Morton Games, Santry, 2 July 2022
The gun went. Australian Callum Davies sat in behind the pacemakers. Andrew Coscoran followed. The rest were strung out behind. There was even a fall. A typical paced circuit affair.
Until it wasn’t.
With 650m to go they all started getting involved. Darragh McElhinney was the first to close up and slot in behind Coscoran. Then went Nick Griggs. Cathal Doyle and Shane Bracken followed. With 400m to go Irish athletes filled 2nd to 6th place. With 250m they were all queueing up; getting into the ideal position from which to strike.
Coscoran, the fastest on paper. Doyle, who stunned everyone in the 1500m at the National seniors the previous week. McElhinney, a 5km specialist, with a decent kick. Griggs who ran Coscoran close over the same distance indoors. Bracken, the national 1500m silver medallist; he too with a serious turn of pace.
We were definitely in for a treat, and not of the plain jelly and ice-cream variety. This was an assiette à dessert of Michelin quality.
With 200m to go, they were four abreast behind Davies, each trying to measure their effort to perfection. None of them ready to show their cards just yet. Corscoran eventually pulled alongside Davies with 150m to go. Doyle made his move around the outside. McElhinney was wedged between them at this point, his normally sublime stride looking strained against the shorter-distance men. But he wasn’t giving this one up without a fight.
They were still four-wide into the home straight.
Then Doyle and Coscoran pulled clear. North Dub versus North Dub. Shoulder to shoulder. Stride for stride. Coscoran, first, looked to have the edge. Then Doyle levelled and inched ahead. The finish line was coming, but not quick enough. Doyle leaned. Coscoran dived. Nobody wanted to call this one.
There was a visible buzz around the track. The lads had put on a great show. The perfect finale to the 2022 Morton Games. Irish athletes would fill the top three places. Five had run under 4 minutes. But who’d won? Doyle’s supporters were celebrating. Rushing onto the track to congratulate him. He didn’t look sure. Coscoran too was waiting.
And eventually the result appeared. Coscoran had edged this one; 3:57.09 to Doyle’s 3:57.11.
Coscoran looked full of energy. Buoyed by the win, chatting, reliving the dive.
Doyle looked utterly sickened. The sweet smell of victory now the sour aftertaste of defeat.
Andrew Coscoran, here’s your big fancy trophy. Cathal Doyle, thanks for taking part.
Watch the race here!
The rematch to match all rematches
Healy v O'Sullivan, Irish National Senior Women’s 1500m final, 30 July 2023
Just a week ago they finished a metre apart in first and second at the European U23 Championships. Now Sophie O'Sullivan and Sarah Healy have to do it all over again, this time for the Irish Senior title.
Three and three-quarter laps of the track. Two in-form athletes. One national title.
O’Sullivan is looking for her first national title.
Healy is looking for revenge.
After an exceptional afternoon of finals, the Santry crowd are looking for blood. Metaphorically at least.
O’Sullivan and Healy ease ahead off the line, both doing just enough to get in front, from where they can dictate things.
O’Sullivan slots into the lead. Healy in behind her. The rest of the field settle in to get the best view they can of this one too.
Through 300m in 53 seconds, and the leading two have almost a 10-metre lead. The stage is all theirs.
Just before the 400m mark (reached in 71 seconds), Healy lengthens her stride and moves ahead of O’Sullivan, quickly building a three-metre lead.
By 700m, the pace still quick, O’Sullivan has closed the gap.
2:14 through 800m. A 63 second lap.
By 1000m the pace has slowed again. Healy still leading. O’Sullivan sitting on her shoulder.
They’re at least 80m ahead of the rest through the bell, but they’ve both slowed again.
Healy holds the inside line. O’Sullivan comes right up on her shoulder. They almost bump.
They’re jogging now.
Watching for each other’s next move.
We’re more used to seeing this sort of thing at the velodrome.
A 72-second lap.
280m to go. O’Sullivan makes a move.
Healy responds immediately. And decisively.
She has a clear gap with 200m to go.
5 metres clear with 100m to go. Looking majestic.
O’Sullivan is working hard. She’s closing on Healy down the home straight.
But Healy finds a little more.
She takes the title.
4.11.9 on the clock.
That’ll do.
The crowd is in shock.
They’ve never seen anything like this.
Long live this rivalry.
Watch the race here!
Bonus video: Mageean v Healy, European U23 Championships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MNtlrVcVTg
Man down, by two
Doyle versus Griggs, 2024 Irish National Senior Indoor Men’s 1500m final, 18 Feb 2024
With many athletes closely matched in standard and finishing speed, we’ve had some very, very special head-to-heads in recent years. Being involved in a close finish, particularly if there’s a dive or two involved, is the badge of honour the current generation seem to chase. And when it comes to the impact of diving finishes, one athlete in particular springs to mind.
Cathal Doyle started 2024 with a growing reputation for winning races. Just a week after losing out in a close finish to Andrew Coscoran at the Morton Games in 2022 (a race he ran with a broken wrist following a dive earlier that summer), he won the mile at the Cork City Sports. He later added the 2022 and 2023 National Senior titles to his growing resume.
Success at European age-group championships means that Nick Griggs, still a teenager, has been a household name since 2021. He made the Senior World Championships in 2023, picked up his second individual European U20 Cross Country medal in December, and officially graduated to the senior ranks in January 2024.
Both were on the verge of the big-time. Both had Paris in their sights. But first, both very much wanted to win a national indoor title.
After a chaotic start, Philip Marron took the lead. The main protagonists sat in fourth and fifth, Doyle on the rail, Griggs slightly more involved. With others happy to take on the pace, it remained the same through the first kilometre or so, as they rattled off 400m splits of 65 seconds, 65 seconds, and then a 58 through 1200m.
Griggs went into third with 600m to go; not so much a move, as merely paying more attention. Doyle followed.
There were seven athletes closely bunched with 300m to go. Now Doyle took closer order. Griggs followed.
Doyle edged into the lead at the bell. Griggs, ever so slightly adrift, responded.
With 100m to go, they’d got a gap on the rest of the field.
Doyle straining; Griggs chasing.
Doyle was still leading into the home straight. Griggs had to go wide, off the bend, and into lane two, ready to pounce.
Doyle put the head down, seemingly willing the line forward.
Griggs too was leaving it all out on the track.
Two athletes giving it everything they had.
Neck and neck.
Just a few more metres.
Stride.
Lean.
Dive.
Both of them did their best Superman impression across the line, providing an additional obstacle for the rest of the field.
Griggs was smiling; whatever the result he knew they’d entertained.
Doyle was grimacing… and holding his wrist.
Watch the race here!
Doyle won the precious title, and then spent the following weeks with his wrist, again, in a cast.
Once the outdoor season got underway, he went in search of championship qualification. First up was European Championships in Rome. 38 athletes achieved the standard: 3:36.00. But there were only 32 places. His ranking score was good, but was never going to be good enough. He needed the Big Q. And he got close. 3:36.02 in Karlsruhe on 11th May; 3:36.32 in Andujar on 17th May; 3:36.14 in Brussels on 26th May. Close, but ever so far.
But there was still Paris and the Olympics to aim for, and next race out he ran 3:34.31 in Nice. Another PB (3:34.09) followed in Turku three days later; his first continental tour gold win. Then a third national senior title. And on 2nd July, confirmation that he was within quota for Paris.
Griggs, meanwhile, did make Rome; a 3:35.90 PB in Chorzów on 18th May good enough for the Auto Q.
He didn’t amass enough points for Paris though. Instead, he rewrote the Irish U23 record books: 13:13.07 for 5000m in Santry on 12th July; 7:36.59 for 3000m in London on 20th July; And then, on 24 July in London, another 1500m PB; 3:35.04 good enough to finally eclipse Paul Robinson’s 11-year-old mark.
What might 2025 hold for these two?
Some more exciting races we hope.
But, please, no more broken wrists.
Patience is a virtue
Mageean versus the rest, European Championships women’s 1500m final, 9 June 2024
Ciara Mageean had never won an international title. She’d finished third at this event in 2016. In 2018 she was fourth. She won silver at the most recent edition in 2022. She also had a bronze medal from the European Indoor Championships in 2019. Silver too from Commonwealth Games. But she’d never won a title. And then she finished fourth at the 2023 World Championships.
Would 2024 be her year?
It didn’t start out that way. An injury picked up when setting the World Parkrun best in Belfast in December, and some further niggles, meant she didn’t open her 2024 season until 25th May.
But a new Irish 800m record of 1:58.51 and a win over 1500m in Ostrava, indicated she was very much in shape; and in the absence of defending champion Laura Muir, very much the one to beat in Rome.
***
One by one the athletes are being called onto the track.
Agathe Guillemot (FRA); Ireland’s Sarah Healy; Katie Snowden (GBR); Marta Pérez (ESP);Yolanda Ngarambe from Sweden; Jemma Reekie (GBR); Nele Weßel (GER); Salomé Afonso (POR)… All running out, and sprinting down to the start line.
Ciara, walks out, calm as you like, acknowledges the crowd. If she’s bricking it, it certainly doesn’t show.
The gun goes, Reekie sprints to the front and takes the lead position on the rail. Georgie Bell, the third Britain in this race, slots in beside her. Guillemot sits on the rail right behind these two. Mageean is towards the outside of lane one, just behind Reekie and Bell. With Snowdon just behind, she’s surrounded by Brits.
And so it stays.
67.7 through the first 400m.
Mageean sits in.
As you were through 800m.
2:16.3; a 68.7-second lap.
Still Mageean waits.
1,000m in.
Mageean holds.
Reekie and Bell put the foot down 20 metres or so before the bell. Mageean spots the danger and follows.
It’s Reekie and Bell, neck and neck, through 1200m in 3:19.0. Mageean is still tucked in right behind.
No panic.
How can she be so damn calm?
Guillemot, who missed the break at the bell, is chasing the leading three.
200m to go. Mageean could easily go wide. She doesn’t.
They crown the bend. Still Mageean waits.
120m to go. Reekie and Bell are still just in front. Mageean is still stuck to them like glue, but Guillemot is to her right now, blocking the way out.
There’s five or six metres between these four and Healy and Pérez in fifth and sixth.
110m to go. Mageean needs some space. It’s clear now that she’s got the pace. But she's boxed.
Has she waited too long?
100m to go. The slightest bit of daylight appears between Reekie and Bell. Mageean ever so gently nudges her way through.
Reekie is fading.
Mageean is pulling away.
Bell and Guillemot chase hard.
The line is coming.
Nobody can catch her now.
A champion at last.
***
Patience is a virtue.
But anyone who watched Mageean race that night knows it’s much more than that.
And racing is sometimes easier than watching.
We all know that now too.
Full race with introductions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHExtUEGsD0
