‘It’s a bloody amazing feeling’ – Mark English storms to historic 800m gold at European Championships

IRELAND’S Mark English has claimed a stunning gold medal at the European Championship in Birmingham.

The Donegal star completed a remarkable championships by taking gold just a day after smashing the 48-year-old championship record in his semi-final.

32-year-old English backed that up when it mattered most, delivering in Thursday night’s final to claim the biggest outdoor title of his career.

The Irishman ploughed ahead of the rest in a superb time of 1:45.26

Croatia’s Marino Bloudek came in second with a time of 1:45.62 and Mohamed Attaqui of Spain third after clocking a 1:45.71.

The victory adds a first European outdoor gold to a medal haul which already included bronze over 800m in 2014 and 2022.

His victory marks the first ever gold medal for an Irish male athlete at an outdoor European games.

Speaking to RTE after the race, he said: “I can’t sum it up. I haven’t even written that chapter yet. I’m still working on the script to get here, so I don’t even know how to feel, to be honest.

“I think I’m relieved more than anything. I really wanted the gold medal today and just really thankful I took it home.”

English revealed how he judged his winning run before unleashing his finishing kick to the finish line.

He explained: “I think he made a move at the bell. So I just tried to track him and I didn’t want to push it too early.

“I remember the great saying. I think it was Nick Symmonds said years ago, you have to spread the peanut butter evenly in an eight hundred meter.

“So I tried to do that and just save my energy for the last one hundred meters. And I’m so happy, so happy.”

The gold was particularly sweet given English had been chasing a European title since taking bronze all the way back in 2014.

He added: “I really wanted that title, like really badly.

“And like, we get into the sport to run records and to win races primarily. And I knew I wouldn’t have been happy if I couldn’t finish my career without a title.

“So yeah, as I say, I’m just… I’m over the moon. I don’t even know what to say.”

English also hailed the incredible Irish support in Birmingham, with an estimated 2000 travelling to the UK.

He said: “It’s amazing. I was just saying, it’s the best Irish support I’ve ever ran in front of.

“Just the sheer number. And I think it was even more Irish than there was British here, to be honest. Like, I think there was probably twice as much Irish.

“So it’s, it’s amazing, honestly.”

“It’s been twelve years since I’ve won the first medal. I’ve had every other color except gold. And today I finally get to stand on top of that podium.

“It’s a bloody amazing feeling.”