Mark English continued his strong form ahead of next week's European Indoor Championships with a season's best run to win in Madrid last night.
English, a two-time medallist at the European indoors, is the leading Irish medal hope ahead of the championships in Istanbul (March 2-5).
The 16-strong Irish team will be without both Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy, both returning from injury, while Rhasidat Adeleke is remaining in the US, where the NCAA championships are her focus.
Phil Healy announced on Thursday night that she would only compete in the 4x400 relay rather than the individual 400m, tweeting that "It has been a very rough few months that I have only shared with a few people, to try and overcome some health issues and get my body responding again."
Unfortunately I have withdrawn from competing individually over 400m at the European Indoors next week. Disappointing but thats how it rolls.
— Phil Healy (@philhealy2) February 23, 2023
A little honest explanation for those wondering why I had not raced throughout the indoor season like usual 🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/L5lqYBBxLZ
Israel Olatunde, however, who smashed the longstanding Irish indoor 60m record in Abbotstown last week, will be in Istanbul, with a strong chance of reaching a final.
In the Spanish capital last night, English, who claimed his 17th national title at 800m last Sunday, ran 1:46.57 in a comfortable victory at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting.
In addition to matching his season's best, the time equals the second fastest indoor run of English's career.
English, who is a month shy of his 30th birthday, has medalled twice before in the 800m at the European indoors, taking silver in Prague in 2015 and bronze in Glasgow in 2019.
Also in Madrid last night, Limerick sprinter Sarah Lavin posted a personal best of 7.95 to qualify for the 60m hurdles final.
Men
60m: Israel Olatunde (UCD); 800m: Mark English (UCD), John Fitzsimons (Kildare); 1,500m: Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea), Luke McCann (UCD); 3,000m: Darragh McElhinney (UCD).
Women
60m: Molly Scott (St L O'Toole), Joan Healy (Leevale); 60m H: Sarah Lavin (Emerald); Pentathlon: Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerards); 400m & 4x400m: Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks), Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers); 4x400m: Phil Healy (Bandon), Miriam Daly (Carrick-on-Suir), Niamh Murray (Bray Runners).
