‘I had a plan' – Mark English wins tenth 800m national title and hints at his future with a lap of honour

Irish Independent

3 hours ago

The Donegal athlete's foot-perfect performance proved an undoubted highlight of the 123.ie National Track and Field Championships, English continuing the best season of his career so far, having won European Indoor bronze in March before setting the five fastest times of his career outdoors.
It's 14 years since English won his first senior title, aged 18, and he has ruled this domain with dictatorial authority since. But in Cian McPhillips, he had a worthy pretender to his throne, the Longford athlete going second on the Irish all-time list with his recent 1:44.19 at the Morton Games.
After a controlled first lap of 55 seconds, English sat second with McPhillips stalking his every move in third. English edged to the lead on the last bend and McPhillips spotted him a metre as they hit the straight – something you just can't do for a rival of English's class. English hit the jets at that point and pulled clear with every stride, hitting the line in 1:48.76 to McPhillips' 1:49.26.
'I was a little bit nervous coming into that,' said English. 'There was a bunch of guys who all train together and I had to race them all, so I knew it was going to be difficult. But I had a plan and I executed that, and it worked out.'
English said he has not yet decided if this will be his last season, but it was notable that he did a lap of honour after the race – a rarity at nationals. If that was his way of saying goodbye to this fabled stadium, it was quite the farewell.
Andrew Coscoran went after an ambitious double in the 5000m and 1500m, with less than 90 minutes between finals. The Dubliner was coolness personified in the longer race, biding his time and kicking past his former training partner Brian Fay to win in 13:34.14.
But whether it was the fatigue from that or a lapse in concentration, Coscoran was shuffled back at a key stage of the 1500m final, languishing in seventh with 250 metres to run. Up front, Cathal Doyle turned the screw and the Clonliffe Harrier wasn't for catching, taking his fourth straight title in 3:53.60.
Coscoran came from the clouds to take silver in 3:53.84 with rising star Nick Griggs taking a brilliant bronze in 3:53.90.
There was an emotional win in the women's 100m for Ciara Neville, the Emerald AC athlete winning her first senior outdoor title since 2019. Neville suffered a severe injury in her hamstring tendon in 2021, which cost her a shot at the Tokyo Olympics and she endured many dark days in the years since as she tried to recapture her best form. But the 25-year-old looked back near her best as she clocked 11.44 in still conditions to take gold ahead of Lauren Roy (11.49).
'It's been such a battle with injury,' said Neville. 'This year I knew I was coming back into myself and I'm just delighted. This was my year to put down a statement that I'm back. I couldn't be happier. I have to give my team in Limerick such credit for sticking by me, getting me back. They've been with me the whole way.'
Neville is coached by Noelle Morrissey and it was a great day for their stable, as Sarah Lavin powered to her 10th national title in the 100m hurdles, clocking 12.92 (-0.6m/s). 'It was clean, it was solid,' said Lavin. 'I'm happy with that.'
There was a big upset in the women's 800m as Alex O'Neill of Limerick Track Club outfoxed her rivals, kicking off the front after a pedestrian first 600m and holding off the late surge of Sarah Healy to win in 2:04.53. 'I was hoping it'd go to a kick finish,' said O'Neill. 'I'm a bit shocked.'
Nicola Tuthill produced a superb effort of 71.75m to win the hammer throw, the recent World University Games silver medallist adding 4cm to the Irish U-23 record she'd thrown in Finland earlier this summer.
Reece Ademola underlined his vast potential with a magnificent 8.00m leap to win the men's long jump, the only shame being the tailwind of 2.6m/s meant it won't count as a personal best. The Leevale athlete underwent knee surgery last August and only returned to jumping in late June.
There was a golden double for the Dublin Sprint Club training group in the 400m finals, with Sophie Becker dominating the women's race to win in 52.87 and Jack Raftery a class apart in the men's, clocking 45.71.
Bori Akinola was a hugely impressive winner of the men's 100m in 10.29 (-0.5m/s), his first senior outdoor title, while Irish record holder Israel Olatunde had to withdraw from the final with a niggle, having won his semi-final in 10.45.