English set to make mark

Mark English and Paul Robinson start a new era for Irish middle-distance running this morning in the heats of the 800m on the opening day of the World Track and Field Championships in Moscow.

Great Britain’s Mo Farah will look to continue his dominance at the helm of distance running in the 10,000m final and Maria McCambridge believes it will be all about survival in the baking heat on the roads of Moscow in the women’s marathon.

With six heats in the first round of the 800m and the first three from each qualifying automatically to the semi-finals along with the next six fastest athletes, Robinson and English will experience the cut and thrust of the upper echelon of athletics for the first time.