IRELAND’S MARK ENGLISH has booked his ticket to the men’s 800m final at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands following another brilliant run.
The Donegal man made all of his experience count as he finished third in his semi-final — and fifth overall — in a time of 1:45.89.
He imposed himself near the front early on, positioned in third at the halfway point and at the bell.
Samuel Chapple of the Netherlands passed him, initiating a dust-up down the home straight, but English kept his composure and like yesterday, squeezed through on the inside to ensure automatic progression.
Belgium’s Elliot Creston came out on top, clocking 1:45.84, while Chapple was second in 1:45.86 as Spanish contender Mariano García missed out.
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Superb from Mark English at the European Indoor Athletics Championships as he qualifies for the 800m final with a time of 1:45.89 to take third in his semi-final
English is now back in contention for another European Indoor 800m medal, 10 years after taking silver in Prague in 2015. The final is scheduled for 4.27pm on Sunday.
“It’s a massive weight off the shoulders,” he told RTÉ’s David Gillick after the semi-final.
“As I said yesterday, it’s a new day today and it’ll be a new day again tomorrow. So I’ll get back and get rested and get ready for that (final).”
On the race itself, English added: “My plan was to try and be in contention for as much of it as possible, I feel like I did that. There were maybe one or two surprises in terms of who came up on the outside, but thankfully it paid off and I got through.”
Cian McPhillips failed to progress from the earlier semi-final, finishing seventh in a time of 1:47.40.
The Longford 22-year-old went out fast and established himself near the front, but ran out of gas and was picked off on the final lap.
McPhillips, who was third at the halfway mark, was passed by two runners at the bell and faded thereafter, finishing well off his personal best and season’s best of 1:45.33.
Ryan Clarke of the Netherlands won the race in a personal best time of 1:45.65.
He fails to progress, but Bori Akinola posts a very respectable 6.63 in his semi-final of the 60m at the European Indoor Athletics Championships to finish in fourth place
“It is my second fastest time but I was hoping to bring my best performances here, I was hoping to PB, get 6.60 or under – the B standard for World Indoors… it’s not to be today, unfortunately.
“If you had told me last year I’d make the semi-finals I’d have been over the moon. I’m grateful to be here, and this is the first of many major championships.”
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Mark English advances to 800m final at European Indoor Championships
IRELAND’S MARK ENGLISH has booked his ticket to the men’s 800m final at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands following another brilliant run.
The Donegal man made all of his experience count as he finished third in his semi-final — and fifth overall — in a time of 1:45.89.
English produced a similar, tactical performance to his heat yesterday, where he placed second in 1:46.42.
He imposed himself near the front early on, positioned in third at the halfway point and at the bell.
Samuel Chapple of the Netherlands passed him, initiating a dust-up down the home straight, but English kept his composure and like yesterday, squeezed through on the inside to ensure automatic progression.
Belgium’s Elliot Creston came out on top, clocking 1:45.84, while Chapple was second in 1:45.86 as Spanish contender Mariano García missed out.
English is now back in contention for another European Indoor 800m medal, 10 years after taking silver in Prague in 2015. The final is scheduled for 4.27pm on Sunday.
“It’s a massive weight off the shoulders,” he told RTÉ’s David Gillick after the semi-final.
“As I said yesterday, it’s a new day today and it’ll be a new day again tomorrow. So I’ll get back and get rested and get ready for that (final).”
On the race itself, English added: “My plan was to try and be in contention for as much of it as possible, I feel like I did that. There were maybe one or two surprises in terms of who came up on the outside, but thankfully it paid off and I got through.”
Cian McPhillips failed to progress from the earlier semi-final, finishing seventh in a time of 1:47.40.
The Longford 22-year-old went out fast and established himself near the front, but ran out of gas and was picked off on the final lap.
McPhillips, who was third at the halfway mark, was passed by two runners at the bell and faded thereafter, finishing well off his personal best and season’s best of 1:45.33.
Ryan Clarke of the Netherlands won the race in a personal best time of 1:45.65.
Earlier this evening, Bori Akinola narrowly missed out on advancement to the men’s 60m final on his European Indoors Championships debut.
The Dubliner finished fourth in his semi-final, clocking 6.63, having come second in his morning heat in 6.66.
“It’s disappointing,” said Akinola following his semi-final exit.
“It is my second fastest time but I was hoping to bring my best performances here, I was hoping to PB, get 6.60 or under – the B standard for World Indoors… it’s not to be today, unfortunately.
“If you had told me last year I’d make the semi-finals I’d have been over the moon. I’m grateful to be here, and this is the first of many major championships.”
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