Mark English among Irish athletes ruled out of World Indoor Championships in China

Mark English has announced that he will not be competing in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in China.

In a statement posted on Instagram on Sunday, English said that he is dealing with an illness that he has picked up since the European Indoors in Apeldoorn.

"Massively disappointing for me personally, but I want to wish the Irish team and my Fast 8 Track Club teammates travelling the very best of luck!" he said in the post on his story.

The 31-year-old Donegal man added an 800m bronze medal to his collection at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in the Netherlands last week.

Cian McPhillips has also been ruled out of the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, who, having fallen during his 800m heat in Apeldoorn, suffered a stress fracture.

It means the Irish team for Nanjing has been reduced to six, with recent European Indoor medallists Kate O’Connor and Sarah Healy the leading chances.