Mark English won the men's 800 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham in 1:45.26, surging past Croatia's Marino Bloudek inside the final 100 metres to take gold. The 33-year-old Donegal runner became the first man to win a European outdoor senior title for Ireland, adding a gold to the bronzes he won in 2014 and 2022. England had been the favourite after breaking Olaf Beyer's 48-year European semi-final record at Alexander Stadium. Bloudek took silver and Spain's Mohamed Attaoui claimed bronze; Great Britain’s Ben Pattison finished sixth after team-mate Max Burgin withdrew injured in the warm-up. English fell to his knees after crossing the line and credited coach Justin Rinaldi for recent changes. The win was Ireland's first medal of the championships, and was followed on the same night by Rhasidat Adeleke's women's 200m silver in 22.28, a new Irish record.
