Mark English eases through the gears to defend Indoor 800m crown

Mark English kicked impressively on the final lap to win his eighth Irish Senior Indoor 800m title.

At the sound of the bell, the Finn Valley AC man changed gears and surged away from the chasers to defend his crown.

English won in 1:49.39 and he’s in fine shape as the World Indoor Championships appear on the horizon in Belgrade next month.

English won from Raheny Shamrocks’ Cillian Kirwan (1:50.51) with Annalee’s Roland Surlis third in 1:50.54.

In all, this was English’s 15th Irish senior 800m title, indoor and outdoor.

The 28-year-old doctor has resumed well since returning from Tokyo and his second Olympic Games.

Bridget McDyer breaks Donegal record for a senior silver

Silver also for Brendan Boyce and James Kelly while Gavin McLaughlin wins bronze

English, a three-time European medalist, breezed through his heat on Saturday, finishing in 1:52.90.

This promises to be a busy year for the now Roscommon-based medic with World (indoor and outdoor) and European (outdoor) Championships on the agenda.

Tir Chonaill AC’s Conall Mahon set a new Donegal indoor record in collecting bronze from the men’s triple jump.

Mahon record a best attempt of 14.33m, coming on his fourth visit to the stage.

Jai Benson from Lagan Valley won gold with a 14.86m jump with Antony Daffurn’s 14.58m securing silver.

Mahon won the 2021 outdoor gold, leaping to 14.38m in Santry and he began here with a 13.98m jump.

Mahon touched the sand at 14.14m in his next go to move into the lead, but was eclipsed by Benson and Daffurn.

Sommer Lecky relinquished her women’s high jump crown to Ava Rochford of Nenagh Olympic AC.

A 1.78m personal best saw Rochford take the gold.

Finn Valley AC’s Lecky began by soaring over coolly at 1.70m and the Castlederg woman clearly 1.75m at the second attempt.

The former World Under-20 silver medalist was unable to get over 1.78m and finished outside the medal positions.

Also in the high jump, Shannon Craig from Lifford-Strabane AC got over at 1.60m but was unable to clear the bar at 1.65m.

In the women’s shot put, Tir Chonaill AC’s Geraldine Stewart was fifth.

The event was won by Swinford’s Michaela Walsh, who threw a best of 14.96m. Stewart’s best attempt, on her second throw, saw her reach out to 11.77m.

On Saturday, Bridget McDyer set a new Donegal record of 6.46m to claim silver in the women’s weight for distance.

McDyer and her Finn Valley AC colleagues Brendan Boyce (5k race walk) and James Kelly (shot put) bagged silver medals on Saturday with Gavin McLaughlin, also of Finn Valley AC, taking the shot put bronze.

Lucy McGlynn was eighth in the 60m hurdles final in 9.01 seconds.

McGlynn finished third in her 200m heat (25.72 seconds) and Letterkenny AC’s Sheldon Romeo Nyoni was also third (22.96) in his 200m heat.

Daniella Jansen from Finn Valley was third (58.90) in a 400m heat, Cara Laverty (Finn Valley) came fifth in her 800m heat (2:19.10) while in the 400m, Eoin Kelly (Letterkenny AC) and Eoin Sharkey (Tir Chonaill AC) were fourth and fifth in the same heat.