Mark English comfortably qualifies for 800m semi-final at Olympics in Paris

Mark English produced an excellent run to come second in his heat in the men's 800m at the Stade de France at the Olympic Games.

The Letterkenny native was third at the halfway point before finishing in a time of 1:45.15, enough for second just behind France’s Gabriel Tual, who clocked 1:45.13. Third place went to Tshepiso Masalela from Botswana in 1:45.58.

In the second of six heats, only the top three in each are guaranteed to progress to the semi-finals, which are scheduled to take place on Friday morning.

Jakub Dudycha of Czechia was fourth 1:45.62, with Koitatoi Kidali from Kenya at six in 1:45.84.

A holder of four European senior medals and 18 Irish titles, English is contesting his third Olympics, missing out on a place in the semi-finals having finished fourth in his heat in Tokyo in a time of 1:46.75.

At Rio 2016, English was third in his heat with 1:46.40 and in the semi-final that followed came home in fifth, clocking 1:45.93, in a race won by 2012 Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha.

English, now 31, made the trip to Paris in good form, having beaten his own Irish record in June, running 1:44.53 at the Madrid Meeting.