Name: Cathal Doyle
Club: Clonliffe Harriers
Event: 1500m
Personal Best: 3:32.15
Tokyo Schedule: Sun 14 Sept 1:35am. SF 15 Sept 1.30pm. Final 17 Sept 2.20pm
Background
Cathal Doyle had a superb Olympic Games reaching the semi-finals. A master tactician in 1500m races he has carefully crafted his skills at Clonliffe Harriers under the tutelage of coaches such as Peter McDermott, Mick Fogarty, Noel Guiden, Brian McDonald, Joe Cooper, Alan O’Neill and Gerry Cullen. Now coached by Jon Bigg he has become a dominant force in Irish 1500m running. The much anticipated 1500m final between Doyle and Andrew Coscoran resulted in a magnificent win for the Clonliffe man.
It was initially at Cross-Country that Cathal made his mark, competing in the European u20 Cross Country back in 2015. Then further Europeans u23 in 2018 and 2019. Dabbling in the 5000m event he eventually settled on the 1500m and qualified for the European u23 Championships in Sweden in 2019 where he finished 10th in the heats of the 1500m.
Upon completing his degree in DCU Doyle went on scholarship to the University of Portland where he reached three NCAA championships during his tenure. Unusually finishing 8th in all three 1500m semi-finals.
Back home on Irish soil he raced solidly during 2023 and 2024 racing mostly in Irish based competitions. He arrived at the Olympic Games semi-final as the only athlete not sponsored by a shoe company. That was about to change. He completed his 2024 season with inclusion in the New York 5th avenue mile where he finished 8th.
During 2025 he competed in his first European Indoors and several European meets. Testimony to his increasing ability, Doyle has clocked up new personal bests over six events during this year. He has moved to second on the Irish 1500m all-time list. Cathal Doyle will make his World Championships debut in Tokyo.
International Majors
2015: European Cross Country u20 France 75th
2018: European Cross Country u23 Tilburg 51st
2019: European Cross Country u23 Lisbon 71st
2019: European Championships u23 Sweden 1500m H2 10th
2021: NCAA Championships Oregon, 1500m SF1 8th
2022: NCAA Championships Oregon, 1500m SF1 8th
2023: NCAA Championships Texas, 1500m SF2 8th
2024: Olympic Games Paris, 1500m SF 10th
2025: European Indoors Apeldoorn 1500m H1 9th
2025: World Championships 1500m, Tokyo
Personal Bests
800m: 1:45.78 26/07/2025
1500m: 3:32.15 06/06/2025
mile: 3:51.26 11/07/2025
1000m: 2:17.37 09/08/2025
1500m (i): 3:37.39 13/02/2025
Mile (i): 3:53.18 13/02/2025