Mark English makes history with stunning European 800m gold

Mark English has won gold for Ireland in the 800 metres at the European Championships in Birmingham.

He becomes the first Irish man in history to win a European Championships gold medal.

At 33 years of age, the qualified doctor from Donegal was the oldest in the field.

Speaking at the end of the race, English told RTÉ: "I can't sum it up. I think I'm relieved more than anything. I really wanted a gold medal today."

In a race where he was always close to the front, English ran 1:45.26, beating Croatia’s Marino Bloudek in second and Mohamed Attaoui in third.

The victory came a day after English produced a remarkable performance in his semi-final, smashing a championship record that had stood for 48 years.

His 1:43.49 took over half a second off the championship record, which had stood to Olaf Beyer from East Germany since 1978.

“I’m confident no matter how it goes,” English said after the semi-final win. 

“I just have to trust myself, my own abilities. And I’ve practised a couple of things in training, so I know what I’m capable of. I had a lot left in the last 100m, so that always bodes well.

“My self-belief has always been there. I’ve just worked on a few things over the last year to get myself physiologically in the condition to be able to do what I did today. I think that’s the main difference, as well as building up experience race-wise. But I think physiologically I’m just in a better place this year.”

Just before the race, it was confirmed that Britain’s Max Burgin had withdrawn from the 800m, after picking up an injury in the warm-up.