MARK ENGLISH yesterday smashed his own 800m Irish record as he continues to be in the form of his life at the relatively old age of 32.
And he didn’t just about sneak under his previous best time of 1:44.34 either as he managed to shave enough that he came home in 1:43:92.
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@markenglish_
He clocked the time while running in the Netherlands[/caption]
Mark and girlfriend Erica taking in the Northern Lights while visiting Iceland[/caption]
Mark and sprint ace Israel Olatunde meeting Irish dancing legend Michael Flatley backstage in RTE[/caption]
Kerry GAA great Pat Spillane was also part of the line-up that evening[/caption]
It’s worth bearing in mind too that his previous top time was only set in Poland last week.
Monday’s effort saw English come first in his run at the FBK Games in Hengelo.
He saw off France’s Yanis Meziane and Australia’s Peyton Craig in doing so.
Athletics fans were quick to hail his fastest-ever time as going under 1:44 is considered elite across the global 800m spectrum.
Paul Martyn labelled him “phenomenal”. Similarly, John McCabe praised: “Running incredibly fast!!! Congratulations Mark!”
Raheny Shamrock AC ace Orla Comerford also enjoyed success — winning the Para Athletics Women’s 100m.
Just last week English had eclipsed his own national record with a fine victory at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Bydgoszcz.
He powered down the home straight in Poland to clock a winning time of 1:44.34, with his previous best of 1:44.53 set in Madrid last June.
The five-time European medallist trails only Sonia O’Sullivan in Ireland’s all-time major championships medal table.
His haul comprises of two bronze medals won at the European Outdoor Championships in 2014 and 2022 respectively.
There were a further two bronze won at the indoor equivalent in 2019 and earlier this year.
His sole 800m silver came in 2015 when the Indoors were held in Prague.
The Donegal native has represented Ireland on the Olympic stage on three occasions.
He made his bow on the greatest stage of all in Rio back in 2016 – making it to the 800m semi-finals.
Another pic from his and Erica’s trip to Iceland where they took in its stunning scenery[/caption]
He has a degree in medicine from University College Dublin[/caption]
It was a similar story last summer as his Paris journey ended at the semi-final stages after he came sixth.
In the Covid-delayed Games of 2021 he marginally failed to make it past the first round.
