A MAGICAL 19 minutes for Irish athletics. Double medal delight on a memorable Thursday night in Birmingham.
9.35pm. Mark English surges across the line at Alexander Stadium, arms outstretched, as he finally claims that elusive European 800m gold medal. A sixth in all, but a first of this colour as he becomes Ireland’s first male individual European champion. A few fist pumps follow, and then his hands go to his face in disbelief and relief. A lifelong dream achieved.
9.54pm. Rhasidat Adeleke dips and pips Dina Asher-Smith to silver in the 200m final. She continues around the bend, unsure what to think. Disappointed not to win initially, as Amy Hunt basks in double sprint glory. Hunt seeks out Adeleke for a hug and alerts her to her new national record of 22.28. Arms outstretched, there’s the smile.
She’s soon draped in the tricolour, just like English before her, following a famous Irish medal rush in back-to-back finals.
For those watching with green-tinted glasses, this pair had well and truly sparked the championships to life on Wednesday in balmy Brum.
The hard luck stories and near misses were beginning to pile up: Sharlene Mawdsley’s injury withdrawal, Cian McPhillips’ virus-hit 800m disappointment, Sarah Healy’s agonising fourth-placed finish in the 5,000m final.
Enter English and Adeleke to stem the flow, and then create the wave on which to ride.
English has been a man on a mission this week, gunning for gold. And gold only. The first Irish athlete in action on Monday morning, the 33-year-old won his heat in cruise control.
The Donegal doctor threw down the gauntlet in the semi-finals, timing his run to perfection and breaking a 48-year-old championship record by clocking 1:43.49.
The blue ribbon on his number had marked him out as the top-ranked in Europe this season (1:42.97 PB) but this was a major statement of intent.
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What it means: English celebrates winning gold. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The final was shaping up to be his coronation. His title hopes were boosted by the late withdrawal of Great Britain’s Max Burgin through injury; the stars continued to align but another tactical masterclass left nothing in doubt.
The oldest in the field by seven years, English tucked into third at the break, and stayed there at the bell. He then moved onto the shoulder of Croatia’s Marino Bloudek, remaining patient until he made his move on the home straight and powered to victory with plenty to spare.
1:45.26. Mission accomplished.
Cool, calm, collected – until the emotion took over.
12 years on from his first European medal, here he was at the top of the mountain at his 22nd major senior international championships.
Hardware delivered in every 800m European final he has contested, the most ever contitental medals of any Irish athlete; this coveted gold moving English one clear of Sonia O’Sullivan.
“I knew I wouldn’t have been happy if I couldn’t finish my career without a title,” as he told RTÉ’s David Gillick. “To finally be able to stand on top of that podium, it’s a bloody amazing feeling.”
Seconds later and the TV cameras were on Adeleke emerging to another Irish roar in a much fuller stadium than earlier in the week. While English was a medal contender from some way out, there was uncertainty around Adeleke.
The Dubliner qualified at the eleventh hour, with her injury struggles well documented. She hadn’t represented Ireland individually since the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She hadn’t run a 200m in green since July 2021, when she won European U20 gold.
In a way, this felt like the Rhasidat Redemption Tour. Her celebration as she stormed to semi-final success spoke volumes, the 23-year-old star waving her finger and snapping her hand towards the track as if to say, ‘Doubt me now?’ That question was perhaps aimed at herself above anyone else.
What was clear was this was a huge release – and response to the frustration, noise and pressure of recent times. She ran with freedom and enjoyment, and spoke with it afterwards.
“You’re that girl,” Adeleke had reminded herself.
Adeleke celebrates with her mother, Ada. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The 22.43 clocked – and second-fastest qualifying time behind 100m champion Hunt – had reminded everyone else of her superstardom, and the podium picture was clearer.
Yet expectations remained tempered.
Running from Lane 6, with Hunt and her compatriot Asher-Smith outside her, Adeleke got out of the blocks well and attacked the bend. She came off it in third, telling herself to relax as the Brits duelled and the Tallaght tower closed in.
Those Irish afterburners on the home straight once more. Another strong finish, a second medal secured.
22.28 improved her own national record of 22.34 from 2023 as Adeleke joins O’Sullivan as the only Irish athlete to have won European medals at two different championships.
“This means so much to me. Just knowing the journey. There were so many times I was like, ‘Am I cooked?’” she laughed in another brilliant post-race interview with RTÉ.
Far from it. Cooking, perhaps?
Adeleke really is that girl.
And English is that guy.
A magical 19 minutes that will live long in the memory of Irish athletics. Sheer brilliance from both on a balmy night in Birmingham.
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English's emotional gold and Adeleke's stunning silver - Magical medal rush for Ireland
A MAGICAL 19 minutes for Irish athletics. Double medal delight on a memorable Thursday night in Birmingham.
9.35pm. Mark English surges across the line at Alexander Stadium, arms outstretched, as he finally claims that elusive European 800m gold medal. A sixth in all, but a first of this colour as he becomes Ireland’s first male individual European champion. A few fist pumps follow, and then his hands go to his face in disbelief and relief. A lifelong dream achieved.
9.54pm. Rhasidat Adeleke dips and pips Dina Asher-Smith to silver in the 200m final. She continues around the bend, unsure what to think. Disappointed not to win initially, as Amy Hunt basks in double sprint glory. Hunt seeks out Adeleke for a hug and alerts her to her new national record of 22.28. Arms outstretched, there’s the smile.
She’s soon draped in the tricolour, just like English before her, following a famous Irish medal rush in back-to-back finals.
For those watching with green-tinted glasses, this pair had well and truly sparked the championships to life on Wednesday in balmy Brum.
The hard luck stories and near misses were beginning to pile up: Sharlene Mawdsley’s injury withdrawal, Cian McPhillips’ virus-hit 800m disappointment, Sarah Healy’s agonising fourth-placed finish in the 5,000m final.
Enter English and Adeleke to stem the flow, and then create the wave on which to ride.
English has been a man on a mission this week, gunning for gold. And gold only. The first Irish athlete in action on Monday morning, the 33-year-old won his heat in cruise control.
The Donegal doctor threw down the gauntlet in the semi-finals, timing his run to perfection and breaking a 48-year-old championship record by clocking 1:43.49.
The blue ribbon on his number had marked him out as the top-ranked in Europe this season (1:42.97 PB) but this was a major statement of intent.
The final was shaping up to be his coronation. His title hopes were boosted by the late withdrawal of Great Britain’s Max Burgin through injury; the stars continued to align but another tactical masterclass left nothing in doubt.
The oldest in the field by seven years, English tucked into third at the break, and stayed there at the bell. He then moved onto the shoulder of Croatia’s Marino Bloudek, remaining patient until he made his move on the home straight and powered to victory with plenty to spare.
1:45.26. Mission accomplished.
Cool, calm, collected – until the emotion took over.
12 years on from his first European medal, here he was at the top of the mountain at his 22nd major senior international championships.
Hardware delivered in every 800m European final he has contested, the most ever contitental medals of any Irish athlete; this coveted gold moving English one clear of Sonia O’Sullivan.
“I knew I wouldn’t have been happy if I couldn’t finish my career without a title,” as he told RTÉ’s David Gillick. “To finally be able to stand on top of that podium, it’s a bloody amazing feeling.”
Seconds later and the TV cameras were on Adeleke emerging to another Irish roar in a much fuller stadium than earlier in the week. While English was a medal contender from some way out, there was uncertainty around Adeleke.
The Dubliner qualified at the eleventh hour, with her injury struggles well documented. She hadn’t represented Ireland individually since the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She hadn’t run a 200m in green since July 2021, when she won European U20 gold.
In a way, this felt like the Rhasidat Redemption Tour. Her celebration as she stormed to semi-final success spoke volumes, the 23-year-old star waving her finger and snapping her hand towards the track as if to say, ‘Doubt me now?’ That question was perhaps aimed at herself above anyone else.
What was clear was this was a huge release – and response to the frustration, noise and pressure of recent times. She ran with freedom and enjoyment, and spoke with it afterwards.
“You’re that girl,” Adeleke had reminded herself.
The 22.43 clocked – and second-fastest qualifying time behind 100m champion Hunt – had reminded everyone else of her superstardom, and the podium picture was clearer.
Yet expectations remained tempered.
Running from Lane 6, with Hunt and her compatriot Asher-Smith outside her, Adeleke got out of the blocks well and attacked the bend. She came off it in third, telling herself to relax as the Brits duelled and the Tallaght tower closed in.
Those Irish afterburners on the home straight once more. Another strong finish, a second medal secured.
22.28 improved her own national record of 22.34 from 2023 as Adeleke joins O’Sullivan as the only Irish athlete to have won European medals at two different championships.
“This means so much to me. Just knowing the journey. There were so many times I was like, ‘Am I cooked?’” she laughed in another brilliant post-race interview with RTÉ.
Far from it. Cooking, perhaps?
Adeleke really is that girl.
And English is that guy.
A magical 19 minutes that will live long in the memory of Irish athletics. Sheer brilliance from both on a balmy night in Birmingham.
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Athletics Double delight medal alert