Mark English stays on track for medal at the European Indoor Championships

Mark English advanced to the 800m semi-finals by running an impressive 1:48.10 at the European Indoor Championships in Prague yesterday.

“I wanted to be on the shoulder of the leader but it went out way too quick,” said English on the change of his intended tactics. “I knew it went out too quick after 150m. There’s no point in me racing out in 24 seconds (for the first 200m). I knew those guys who led out the first three spots would come back to me. I just had to bide my time and went through 400 in 53 seconds. I knew they would come back to me in the last 200m.”

And that is what transpired in a somewhat scrappy race for the UCD student but he showed a good turn of speed coming to the final bend and could ease down in the finishing straight ahead of the Dutch man Thijmen Kupers in 1:48.16. “I had a good acceleration off that bend,” confirmed English. “I was able to get by Kupers who’s a world (indoor) finalist with a little bit of ease. That bodes well.”