Mark English to open indoor running campaign at New York event

European 800 metres bronze medallist Mark English will open his indoor running campaign in New York tomorrow night as part of an Irish distance medley relay team invited to the New Balance Indoor Games.

The old school medley relay, which consists of 400m, 800m, 1,200m and 1,600m events, will see English run his specialist distance, the same event he won the bronze medal at the European Championships in Zurich last August.

The Donegal athlete, who is in the third year of his medicine studies at UCD, is also targeting the 800m at the European Indoor Championships, set for Prague on the first weekend in March.

Joining him in the relay event, set for the Armory indoor facility in New York, is Brian Gregan (400m), Declan Murray (1,200m) and Ciarán O’Lionaird (1,600m). John Travers was originally selected to run the 1,200m leg but will instead compete at the Athletics Ireland Indoor Games in Athlone.

Athletics Ireland has appointed ex-international athletes David Matthews and Paul McKee as new regional development officers. Matthews will take charge of Cork city, county, and CIT’s athletics development programme, while McKee will manage the northwest region.