European Athletics Indoor Championships 800m bronze medallist Mark English and 4x400m relay finalist Arlene Crossan have been honoured by their home club Finn Valley AC in Co Donegal.
A large crowd gathered at the Finn Valley Centre in Ballybofey at the weekend to honour both athletes following the European Indoors in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Ms Crossan made her breakthrough onto the Irish senior team and Mr English has now won medals at European Championships in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
Finn Valley AC founder and former Irish athletics team coach Patsy McGonagle, who managed the Irish team for 25 years, said he ranks Mr English as one of the best athletes ever from the north west.
"Mark English has won five European Championship medals - only Sonia O'Sullivan has won the same. He’s won five and she won five.
"Mark won his first national senior championship when he was 18 years of age. He’s now 32," he said.
"He has won nine indoor Irish championships, nine outdoor championships and in the interim qualified as a medical doctor.
"It portrays an absolute focused individual who has been able to break records as he did this year," he added.
"He is a leading Irish athlete and he’s on the world stage competing as a Finn Valley athlete - that’s key to us," Mr McGonagle said.
Alongside Mr English, Finn Valley AC’s Ms Crossan who took her first step on the international stage was also honoured. Mr McGonagle paid tribute to her resolve.
"Arlene has achieved immensely. She really knuckled down this year. We always knew she was a talented athlete. She is focused. She is moving forward and she is ambitious," he said.
Ms Crossan told RTÉ News it was special to make the breakthrough at senior level.
"Being part of that team was very special. It has really motivated me. It is so nice to see so many familiar faces between juvenile athletes, older athletes, family and friends," she said.
Patsy McGonagle, local TD Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher, Mayor of Letterkenny Cllr Gerry McMonagle addressed the homecoming hosted by club PRO journalist Chris McNulty.
The homecoming event heard Mr English spent Christmas training in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain in the company of his father.
During his speech, Mr McGonagle paid tribute to the families of both athletes. He remarked on the resolve and commitment required to achieve at an elite level.
Mr English said he has his sight set on breaking the 800m outdoor Irish record this season. He spoke fondly about the warm welcome from his home club.
"It is amazing to see all these people [at the homecoming]. It is great to be recognised and to see strong political support at a sporting occasion. It is great to see my immediate family and close friends.
"I have to thank my family and my sponsors because they are the ones who help me to fulfil my dream," he added.
"I am excited to be part of World Athletics at the minute because everyone is running insane times. We are all able to train a little bit smarter. That really helps to try and get the most out of my body. I feel that I have a responsibility to myself to try and do that - that is why I do what I do.
"Initially, the first two years were tough because you are trying to learn how not to get injured and how to be consistent in training. That is probably the toughest part. When I was able to learn those tricks and apply them, it became a little bit easier. It then became about finding the motivation every year and thankfully, I have been able to find it so far, which has been a blessing," he said.
"I am really excited about the outdoor season. I ran an Irish record this year indoors and I am running the best I have ever run. So, I am thinking, hopefully I should be able to run a new national record outdoors, if I can get into the right race. I am looking forward to it," he added.
The World Athletics Championships will be held in Tokyo next September.
