Cian McPhillips smashes Irish record and powers into first world final 

There was heartbreak, however, for Mark English, who came home third in his semi-final, clocking 1:45.47, which was not enough to advance as a non-automatic qualifier.

Cian McPhillips of Ireland celebrates after winning, with a national record of 1:43.18, in the Men's 800m heats during day six of the World Athletics Championships.. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Suddenly, the game has changed for Cian McPhillips, who will leave the World Championships in Tokyo a very different athlete to the one who came here.

Now, the 23-year-old Longford athlete is a world finalist. Now, the UCD student has shown he can beat a world champion. Now, he’s the fastest Irish 800m athlete of all time.