…
Sport
Mark English becomes Ireland’s first European 800m champion with Birmingham gold
Herz — Sport Desk · · 30s summary · 2 min read
The essentials
Mark English became Ireland’s first men’s 800m champion at the European Athletics Championships on August 13, 2026, winning in Birmingham in 1:45.26. The 33-year-old passed Croatia’s Marino Bloudek in the final 100 metres, with Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui taking bronze. Britain’s Max Burgin withdrew after sustaining an injury during the warm-up. English, a trained doctor from Donegal, had already won European bronze in 2014 and 2022. Ireland secured another medal shortly afterwards as Rhasidat Adeleke finished second in the women’s 200m in a national-record 22.28, behind Britain’s Amy Hunt.
- English won the European 800m title in 1:45.26, a first for an Irish man
- Croatia’s Bloudek took silver and Spain’s Attaoui bronze
- Britain’s Max Burgin withdrew after an injury during the warm-up
- Adeleke won 200m silver in an Irish-record 22.28
- English broke Olaf Beyer’s 48-year-old European record in the semi-final
What happened in Birmingham
Mark English, a 33-year-old Irish athlete from Donegal, won the men’s 800m title at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on August 13, 2026. His time of 1:45.26 made him the first Irish man to win European gold in the event, according to the BBC.
English moved into the lead over the final 100 metres, passing Croatia’s Marino Bloudek, who took silver. Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui completed the podium with bronze, while Britain’s Ben Pattison finished sixth.
Britain’s Max Burgin did not start the final after sustaining an injury during the warm-up.
A European campaign spanning 12 years
English, a trained doctor, had twice previously reached the European podium. He won bronze in Zurich in 2014 at the age of 21 and added another bronze in Munich in 2022. He entered the Birmingham final as the favourite after breaking Olaf Beyer’s 48-year-old European 800m record in the semi-final.
Adeleke adds another medal for Ireland
Shortly after the 800m final, Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke won silver in the women’s 200m. The 23-year-old ran 22.28 to set an Irish record, finishing behind Britain’s Amy Hunt and 0.01 seconds ahead of Dina Asher-Smith.
Adeleke had endured an injury-affected year and returned to competition only at the Irish National Championships, her final preparation for the European Championships.
What had Mark English won at the European Championships before 2026?
English had earned two bronze medals: in Zurich in 2014, when he was 21, and in Munich in 2022. His Birmingham victory turned his third European podium into his first title.
Why did Max Burgin miss the 800m final?
The British athlete withdrew before the final after sustaining an injury during the warm-up.
Which record did Mark English break in the semi-final?
English broke the European men’s 800m record that Olaf Beyer had held for 48 years.
Was Rhasidat Adeleke returning from injury in Birmingham?
Yes. Adeleke had experienced an injury-affected year and resumed competition only at the Irish National Championships. She then won European silver in an Irish-record 22.28.
Topics
Source
Related articles
Latest articles
The illustrations in this article are generated by artificial intelligence.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to react.
