Mark English wins 800m gold at Diamond League

A blistering finishing kick from Mark English saw him go from eighth place to first to win the 800m at the Birmingham Diamond League.

English was also rewarded with a fast time of 1:45.94 as he gunned down the leading British duo of Jamie Webb and Spencer Thomas and the top Kenyan Alfred Kipketer on the time.

Although just short of the qualifying standard of 1:45.80 for next month’s World Athletics Championships in Doha, it gives English hope of qualifying, possibly on the ranking route.

Return to form

Either way it was a super return to form for English, who won European Indoor bronze in Glasgow back in March, but dropped out of the Cork City Sports during the week.

Labuschagne shepherds Australia to safety as Archer leaves mark

---

Ireland go down to England in women’s hockey championship in Antwerp

---

Lara Gillespie claims Ireland’s first medal at junior track world championships

---

Steve Smith withdrawn from Lord’s Test with delayed concussion

---

Sarah Healy and Thomas Barr were also in Diamond League action in Birmingham, Healy rewarded with a best of 4:40.72 in the mile to finish 12th behind Konstanze Klosterhalfen, the German winning in 4:21.11, on what was her first Diamond League start for the 18 year-old from Dublin.

Barr looked a little off his best form when taking fifth place in the 400m hurdles in a time of 50.16, that won by Yasman Copello from Turkey in 49.08.