English sprints to second in Rome as Healy returns to action

Mark English clocked 1:43.80 in Rome. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Mark English continued his fine early-season form with a second-place finish over 800m at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday night, the 33-year-old Donegal athlete clocking 1:43.80.

That was the second quickest time of English’s career behind the 1:43.37 he ran in Budapest last year. English sat off the pace over the opening 400m, reached by the pacer in 50.02, but he powered into contention around the last bend and finished close behind France’s Gabriel Tual, who won in 1:43.66.

English will be targeting the sixth European medal of his career in Birmingham in August and he’s made a superb start to his outdoor season, clocking 1:43.85 to win at the Shanghai Diamond League last month before fading to 11th at the Rabat Diamond League last weekend.

“It went better than I expected, I didn't really think I'd finish that far up so it's nice to come away with that result,” said English. “It's been tiring, going over to China to race Shanghai and then coming back to race in Rabat and then out today again. So it's been a lot of racing, but I feel like that's good practice as well for championships.

“I'll do about two more races then hopefully get back to a little training block and maybe get a few more races before Europeans.” 

Sarah Healy was also in action in Rome, the reigning European indoor 3000m champion contesting her first race of 2026, having missed the indoor season. In her first serious race at 5000m, she finished 17th in 14:48.88, with victory going to Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw in 14:18.41.

It moved Healy second on the Irish all-time list behind Sonia O’Sullivan’s national record of 14:41.02.

“Definitely a baptism of fire,” she said. “The main word is humbled. It was definitely scary but I wanted to try it. I was just really curious to see because I've had quite a lot of success with 3K but I did learn today that it's a different ball game altogether.

“It was definitely scary but I was just really curious to see because I've had quite a lot of success with 3K. But I did learn today that it's a different ball game altogether.” As to whether she’ll be a more regular presence in the 5000m?

“I don’t know,” she said. “After that, I'm not sure. You'd hope it's only upwards from here but I do more training for the 1500m, kind of 15/3, and so I hoped today that would just carry me through, which I could to a 14:48, which is pretty decent. 

“Obviously I'd probably want to attack it a bit more. But I'm really proud of myself for putting myself in it today and definitely [have] respect for the girls who do it, because it's tough.”