Mark English produces historic run to win Diamond League 800m

The Donegal man sliced through the field in the home straight to clock a meeting record of 1:43.85

Sat, 16 May, 2026 - 14:44

Cathal Dennehy

Mark English produced a superb performance to claim 800m victory at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai/Keqiao on Saturday, the Donegal athlete slicing through the field in the home straight to clock a meeting record of 1:43.85.

It makes him the first Irish male athlete to ever win a Diamond League race. English had previously taken victory at the Birmingham meeting in 2019, but the 800m there was a non-Diamond League discipline.

English had run in the middle of the pack through the opening half of today’s race, with 400m reached in 51.12, and he was still only fifth with 50 metres to run. But he kept a cool head to thread a path to the front, overtaking runner-up Kethobogile Haingura (1:43.89) in the final metres, with USA’s Brandon Miller third in 1:44.00.

“I felt great,” said English. “I wasn't really thinking about the time, especially when I heard the pace is going to be 50.5, but I'm just delighted to get the win and to beat those guys in the sprint finish.”

English faced disappointment at the World Indoor Championships in March and at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo, falling just short of the finals on both occasions, but after a recent spell of altitude training in Sierra Nevada, Spain, he has opened this outdoor season with a bang.

“I worked pretty hard after Tokyo last year because that was a tough one to take,” he said. “And then indoors I broke the [national] record there so it's been really good and thankfully at this point in my career, I haven't been injured and I still have the hunger, so it's looking good for the summer.”

He will next race at the Diamond League events in Rabat and Rome as he builds up towards the Europeans in August, where he will be chasing his sixth European medal. At 33, he’s now running better than ever.

“I guess I do have to thank my coach Justin Rinaldi for keeping me motivated and at times it's difficult to always stay motivated,” he said. “I've had a lot of support in my corner and it's been really helpful.”

Elsewhere, Clonliffe Harriers athlete Ben Guiden and Dundrum South Dublin’s Ella Fennelly secured senior honours at the National 5K Championships, hosted in the Phoenix Park alongside the Irish Runner 5K. Guiden clocked 14:27 while Fennelly secured her first senior national title in 16:03. Dundrum South Dublin took the men’s team title, while Clonliffe won the women’s event.