English just misses out on world final in Oregon

Ireland’s Mark English after competing in the Men’s 800m Semi-Finals. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Two tenths of a second – that was the measure of time separating Mark English from his first World Championships final, the Donegal athlete having no excuses after finishing fifth in his 800m semi-final in Oregon last night in 1:45.78.

But the 29-year-old also had no regrets about how he’d run. He went into the race knowing he’d need a bit of luck to advance, but he also knew he was as good as most of those in the race. He needed to finish in the top two to qualify automatically, or else a quick enough time to grab one of two fastest losers’ spots.

English again threw himself into contention on the first lap, which he ran in 52 seconds, but couldn’t match the late surges of Algeria’s Slimane Moula, who won in 1:44.89, and Canada’s Marco Arop, who was second in 1:44.89.

“I just didn’t have the gears over the last 200 unfortunately. I think yesterday’s heat took it out of me a little bit,” he said. “It’s unfortunate but I will take solace in the fact I’ve got to my first world semi-final in six years. If I get that small bit of luck and get that bit more volume and tempo work I’ll be able to manage the rounds better in the future. It gives me hope looking to (the 2023 World Championships in) Budapest and beyond.” English will now target next month’s Europeans in Munich. “I’d like some silverware this season,” he said. “I’ve worked hard. I’d like to give back to everyone too.” In the women’s 800m heats, Louise Shanahan put up a bold show but it wasn’t enough for the Leevale athlete to advance, Shanahan finishing fifth in 2:01.71 and just missing out on a qualifying spot.

“I knew it’d be relatively fast, my race plan was to sit in fourth and there was a bit of shoving and I ended up in fifth,” she said. “When it came to the finish I didn’t have what I needed to get up into one of those big Q places. Not the race I was looking for, but I stuck to my plan and gave everything in that last 200. I just need to go away and get better.

“It’s a big improvement from where I was this time last year, but a lot of work still to be done. It’s definitely a big step forward from last year and hopefully I can kick on now.” 

There was a pair of stunning performances in the 200m finals last night as Noah Lyles of USA and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica blasted to gold in respective times of 19.31 (0.4m/s) and 21.45 (0.6m/s).

Lyles’ time moved him third on the all-time list and the man he deposed, Michael Johnson, was one of the first to congratulate him. “Everybody dreams of this day,” said Lyles. “But today was my day.” 

The champion’s delight was only enhanced when the minor medallists flashed up on screen, with teammates Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton taking silver and bronze.

Minutes earlier, Jackson turned in an equally peerless performance to win the women’s 200m in astonishing style, biding her time – relatively speaking – until the home straight, at which point she ran down 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and put daylight between her and the field.

Her time of 21.45 was a championship record and moved her second on the world all-time list behind Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34. “The fastest woman alive, the national and championships record, I cannot complain,” said the 28-year-old.