Mark English takes another big chunk off his Irish 800m indoor record

Donegal native English looks primed to contend at the World Indoors in March

Mark English lowered his 800m indoor record to 1:44.23. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Mark English took another big step forward by smashing his Irish indoor 800m record at the Czech Indoor Gala in Ostrava on Tuesday evening, the Donegal athlete finishing third in the world-class field in 1:44.23.

Victory went to Belgium’s Eliott Crestan in a meeting record of 1:43.83, with Poland’s Maciej Wyderka second in a national record of 1:44.07. English carved 0.42 off his previous Irish record, which he set in Luxembourg last month.