Mark English finished a magnificent fifth in the men’s 800m final on the last day of competition at the World Junior Track and Field Championships in Barcelona.
The Donegal native produced a truly world-class performance against a field of the highest quality.
The pace from the gun was ferocious as the Puerto Rican athlete Wesley Vazquez dashed into an early lead. English at this point was back in fifth place, surrounded by the two Kenyan athletes.
Vazquez led the pack through the bell in a swift 51.18, a pace he was unlikely to hold until the finish. English was still well placed back in fifth, closing in on the fourth place athlete.
The real fireworks began with 200m to go. Race favourite Nigel Amos of Botswana broke the field apart by scorching into the lead and driving effortlessly towards the line.
The two Kenyan athlete’s unleashed kicks of their own as English battled with incredible determination to hold his position.
In the end English crossed the line in fifth place in a time of 1.46.02. The race was won by Amos in a new championship record of 1.43.79.
English’s time was his second quickest ever for the distance.
Fifth seems to be a popular position for the Letterkenny AC athlete this year as the Irish Junior Record (1.45.77) he set earlier in the season moved him to fifth on the Irish all-time list, ahead of Marcus O’Sullivan (1.45.87).
