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Last year’s event was held in sweltering conditions and also produced a superb men’s 800m as Great Britain’s Callum Dodds broke one minute and 45 seconds for the first time to clinch victory in a track record of 1:44.79, which propelled him towards selection for the European Championships.<\/p>\n
Dodds will return to the Mary Peters Track where his 800m opponents will again include compatriot Tom Randolph who also went under 1:45 when finishing second last May.<\/p>\n
Ireland’s 400m star Sharlene Mawdsley, who anchored her country to a dramatic mixed 4x400m relay gold at last year’s European Championships and won silver in the women’s 4x400m in Rome, has also signed up.<\/p>\n
Mawdsley’s opponents will include Great Britain’s Isabelle Boffey, who has won 800m European U18, U20 and U23 titles, and will move down in distance to race Ireland’s Paris Olympian.<\/p>\n
Race director Eamonn Christie opened entries for the meeting on 19 January and they were filled within 15 minutes – emphasising the status of an event which again will have World Athletics Continental Tour status.<\/p>\n
“Once again I’m overwhelmed at how quickly the event sold out,” said Christie.<\/p>\n
“I’m delighted at the calibre of athletes who have entered, including international, national and local athletes. <\/p>\n
“To date we have entries from Spain, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic as well as Ireland and Great Britain.”<\/p>\n
BBC Sport NI’s website report of Gill’s Belfast victory last year generated more than 580,000 page views.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n