John Fitzsimons ready to realise European final ambitions

Of the eight spots available in Sunday week's 800m final at the European Athletics Championship in Munich, John Fitzsimons expects two Irish men to be at the starting blocks.

The 24-year-old has built up a budding rivalry with Mark English – one of only three members in the 35-strong Irish squad destined for Munich with a European medal in his possession – and both men harbour realistic ambitions of making the final on 7 August.

Fitzsimons won the national title in 2021, but two-time Olympian English won their duel in Santry earlier this summer before the Donegal native was edged out of a place in the World Championships final last month.

The Kildare native is sixth on the all-time Irish fastest list over the distance and picked up a second place at the Stockholm Diamond League in June, while English comes into this week ranked eighth in the men’s 800m.

"When you have somebody else there at a similar level to you, you don’t have the opportunity to be happy with the level you are at," he told RTÉ Sport

"You’re constantly pushing and looking for that extra one or two per cent going into every race. We are bringing the best out of one another.

"Mark was the third European home as well at the Worlds. I’m sure he is going in with medal aspirations, as he should be, and I consider myself every bit as good as Mark.

Blighted by setbacks earlier in his career, Fitzsimons is on the best injury-free run of his career since a knee issue last November.

The result is consistent performances and two PBs earlier in the season, with a 1:45.66 in Spain the quickest time he has ever posted.

There are eight lanes in the final. I would expect, all going well, for two of them to be filled by Irish athletes

"This whole year has been a step-on from last