Mark English booked his place at the World Championships in London with a storming, season's best run at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm.
English clocked 1:45.42 to finish second in the 800m, just 0.4 seconds behind Thimen Kuppers, achieving the World qualifying time in the process.
The Letterkenny man finished fourth in Hengelo in 1:46.02, just off the 800m standard of 1:45.90, at the start of the month.
But he could breathe a big sigh of relief in Sweden after his runner-up finish to the Dutchman ensured he'll be heading across the water in August.
The 24-year-old is scheduled to compete in Sligo on Wednesday over 500m, with his fellow UCD athlete Ciara Mageean down for the women’s 800m.
In the last ten days English, Mageean in the 1500m and Thomas Barr in the 400m hurdles have all run world qualifying standards.
Meanwhile Michaela Walsh (Swinford) was the pick of some fine Irish performances at the England U20 and U23 Championships in Bedford.
She won double gold in the U20 age group on Saturday, winning the shot put with a national junior record of 16.13m and the hammer with a best of 62.62m.
Walsh went on to finish second in the U23 shot put today while winning the hammer once more with 62.71m.
At the Irish Runner 5 mile in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, Clonmel’s Kevin Maunsell won in 24:18 with DSD’s Laura Shaughnessy first woman in 27:53 in very warm conditions.
Mark English bags the 800m World qualifying time finishing second in Stockholm with 1:45.42 pic.twitter.com/WMhKd1XVgW
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 18, 2017
