Mark English has broken his own record and set a new bar for Irish athletics in the 800m.
The Donegal star, 32, crossed the line in 1:43.92 at the FBK Games in the Netherlands on Monday evening.
It was only 11 days ago when English lowered his own Irish record by recording 1:44.34 at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Poland.
English was in blistering form as he crossed the line in first place ahead of France’s Yanis Meziane and Australia’s Peyton Craig.
It caps a brilliant run of form for English over the previous 12 months.
In June 2024, he ran the 800m in 1:44.53 at the Continental Tour meeting in Madrid.
Then in March, English claimed the 800m bronze at the European Championship, which took his European medal haul to five. It also ensured that he has never failed to win a medal when he has progressed to a European final.
Mark English gets his tactics spot on to break record
English revealed how he was happy to stay off the pace and bide his time before striking. He made it look easy as he sauntered over the finishing line, leaving the other trailing in his wake.
Speaking after the race, he said: “It felt great. I just wanted to run that race like a semi-final and I managed to do that.
“I stayed off the pace early and when I got to 600, I felt really good.
“I could see them fading and when I’m in good shape, I can always understand what the commentators are saying and I could hear him say there would be some tired legs in the home straight, it was nice to hear that.
“I thought I could catch them with about 80 metres left. It’s a brilliant day.
“I always wanted to get the win and run 1:43 – I managed those two things today.”
Elsewhere, Ireland’s Orla Comerford won the Para Athletics Women’s 100m in 11.96. That is just 0.06 seconds off her personal best.
English’s form is ensuring he’s in prime position to make an impact at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
800m record history
Kenyan legend David Rudisha currently holds the three fastest 800m times in history.
At the London Olympic Games in 2012, he ran in a staggering 1:40.91 – beating the previous record (1:41.01) he set two years earlier in Italy.
Sebastian Coe is the fastest 800m British runner in history. He clocked in a time of 1:41.73 in 1981, and that record ensures he remains the joint eighth quickest time alongside Botswana’s Nijel Amos.
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