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Mark English celebrates with his gold medal. Morgan Treacy/INPHO
From The 42Athletics
He's done it! Mark English wins 800m gold at European Athletics Championships
The Donegal 33-year-old has become Ireland’s first male European champion.
IRELAND’S MARK ENGLISH has won 800m gold at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
English clocked 1:45.26 to win his sixth European track medal – and first gold – at Alexander Stadium.
The Donegal 33-year-old becomes Ireland’s first male individual European champion, and surpasses Sonia O’Sullivan’s medal tally.
It's gold for Mark English!
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 13, 2026
History for Ireland, history for Mark English as he comes out on top in the men’s 800m final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. pic.twitter.com/ILGnmBz009
English ran a superb race, and powered home, with Croatia’s Marino Bloudek securing silver in 1:45.62 and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui taking bronze in 1:45.71.
One of the other medal contenders, Great Britain’s Max Burgin, withdrew just before the final.
“I can’t sum it up,” English told RTÉ’s David Gillick afterwards. “ I haven’t even written that chapter yet, I’m still working on the script to get here!
“I don’t even know how to feel, to be honest. I think I’m relieved more than anything. I really wanted the gold medal today, I’m just really thankful I took it. I have so many people to thank. I’m over the moon.”
English won both his heat and semi-final, the latter in 1:43.49 which broke a 48-year-old championship record.
On the final, where he was third at the bell and sat on Bloudek’s shoulder before again timing his run to perfection, English reflected:
“I think he made a move at the bell, so I just tried to track him like, I didn’t want to push it too early. I remember the great saying, I think it was Nick Symmonds said it years ago, you have to spread the peanut butter evenly over 800m. I tried to do that, and just save my energy for the last 100m. I’m just so happy, so happy.
“I really wanted that title, like really badly. We get into the sport to run records and to win races, primarily. I knew I wouldn’t have been happy if I couldn’t finish my career without a title.
“I dreamt of that moment before, it’s totally different when you experience it. It’ll take me a while to process it. It’s the best Irish support I’ve ever run in front of. I’ve had every other except gold, and to finally be able to stand on top of that podium, it’s a bloody amazing feeling.”
Rhasidat Adeleke followed suit with silver in the Women’s 200m final to make it a memorable evening for Ireland in Birmingham.
Written by Emma Duffy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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