Mark English clocks season-best time to qualify for world 800m semi-finals

Day six of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon and Donegal doctor Mark English produced one of the finest displays of Irish 800 metres running to secure his place in the semi-finals.

The Tokyo Olympian, from Finn Valley AC in Donegal, secured an automatic qualification into the men’s 800m semi-finals after his third-place finish in the heats in the early hours of Tuesday morning (Irish time).

The Donegal native made his intentions clear and strong from the start, keeping to the forefront of the pack throughout, English clocking a time of 1:44.76, a season best for him and just .05 hundredths of a second away from his National 800m Record, which qualified him for the Tokyo Olympic Games last summer.

It was the fastest time clocked by any Irish athlete in championship history, and the 800m semi-finals get under way on day seven of the World Championships (3am on Friday Irish time).

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Later overnight, 19-year-old Rhasidat Adeleke finished fourth in her women’s 400m semi-finals, which saw her ranked in ninth place in the world.

The Tallaght AC rising sprinting superstar ran her second fastest 400m of the season clocking a time of 50.87, just 0.17 behind her national record of 50.70, in the fastest of the three 400m semi-finals.

It was the third track appearance for Adeleke at these championships, which her debut at the senior world championships, after competing with the mixed 4x400m heat and the individual 400m heat.

Adeleke is also part of the panel for the women’s 4x100m taking place on day eight of these championships, with the starting team to be announced later this week.

Tokyo Olympian Chris O’Donnell from North Sligo AC finished his World Championship competition after coming in seventh in the men’s 400m semi-final with a time of 46.01.

O’Donnell had earlier secured Ireland a place in the mixed 4x400m heats and final, and will now turn his attention towards the European Championships in Munich next month.

Day 7:

Irish in Action (Irish Time):

Day 7:

1.10am Louise Shanahan 800m Heats

3.00am Mark English 800m Semi Final

Day 8:

1.40am Women 4x100m Heats

Day 9:

7.20pm Sarah Lavin 100mH Heats

Day 10

2.15pm Brendan Boyce 35k Walk