Mark English breaks his own 800m national record in Poland
The Donegal star clocked 1:44.34 for victory in Bydgoszcz, securing automatic qualification for the World Athletics Championships in the process.
English finished ahead of Croatia's Marino Bloudek (1:44.74) and Filip Ostrowski of Poland (1:44.96), who both ran personal bests in a highly-competitive race.
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English's previous national record was 1:44.53, set in Madrid last June.
💥𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃💥
Mark English breaks his own Irish 800m record to take the win at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in Bydgoszcz, Poland 🙌
⏱️1:44.34🔥
ℹ️Full result: https://t.co/4rcb8titNw
*Record subject to ratification#IrishAthletics pic.twitter.com/aXMpHwzKYS — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) May 30, 2025
This evening's performance follows on from a hugely impressive win in Los Angeles last weekend, where the 32-year-old posted 1:44.75.
The now five-time European medallist has had a superb 2025 to date, with his European Indoor bronze in March seeing him trail only Sonia O'Sullivan in Ireland's all-time medal tally at major championships.
Elsewhere at the same meet in Bydgoszcz, Cathal Doyle finished third the men's 1500m.
The Dubliner clocked 3:34.67, earning coveted ranking points to improve his chances for qualification for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
Jodie McCann, meanwhile, was eighth in the women's 1500m in 4:09.78.
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