Athletics: English impresses with season's best in Madrid

Mark English matched his seasons best in an impressive victory at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting 

SEASON'S BEST: Mark English matched his seasons best in an impressive victory at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting.Pic:INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Mark English underlined his medal potential ahead of next week’s European Indoor Championships in Istanbul by taking an impressive win in the 800m B-race at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Madrid tonight, the 29-year-old Donegal athlete kicking to victory in 1:46.57.

That equalled his season’s best and was the joint-second fastest indoor time of his career, placing English third overall, with only Spain’s Saul Ordonez (1:46.22) and Sweden’s Andreas Kramer (1:46.52) going quicker in the A race.

Sarah Lavin broke new ground at the same meeting, the Limerick athlete clocking a personal best of 7.95 to advance to the 60m hurdles final, where, after an early error, she finished fifth in 8.02. Chris O’Donnell competed over 400m, but the Sligo Olympian was well below his best, finishing sixth in 48.50.

English and Lavin were among the 16 athletes named by Athletics Ireland for next week’s championships in Turkey, a number that could grow in the days ahead if extra invites arrive from European Athletics in events where the quotas have not been filled, with Jack Raftery, Nadia Power and Eric Favors among those sitting just outside the bubble.

An Irish U-20 team was also in action in the Dynamic New Athletics team event in Madrid, finishing fifth of six teams in the final ‘Hunt’ race.