He\u2019s also run the fastest 800m time in Europe this season, and by his own admission, is better prepared than he\u2019s ever been to best impose himself over the two laps. No matter what way they\u2019re run. Not necessarily his race to lose, but he does have all the artillery required to win.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confident no matter how it goes,\u201d English said after his semi-final victory on Wednesday, where his 1:43.49 took nearly half a second off the championship record which had stood to Olaf Beyer from East Germany since 1978.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just have to trust myself, my own abilities. And I\u2019ve practised a couple of things in training, so I know what I\u2019m capable of. I had a lot left in the last 100m, so that always bodes well.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy self-belief has always been there. I\u2019ve just worked on a few things over the last year to get myself physiologically in the condition to be able to do what I did today. I think that\u2019s the main difference, as well as building up experience race-wise. But I think physiologically I\u2019m just in a better place this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
He will also run through the different race scenarios with his coach Justin Rinaldi, the former Australian 800m runner, who is in Birmingham. He\u2019s a particularly astute tactician when it comes to identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.<\/p>\n
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2PWG47P2UQMAJMFD2PTR2XD6HY.jpg\")
Mark English competing for Ireland in the men’s 800m semi-finals at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Wednesday. Photograph: Julian Finney\/Getty Images <\/p>\n
English did get a gentle reminder of the need to adapt in his semi-final, when coming around the final bend Britain\u2019s Ben Pattison passed on his outside, with English dropping to fourth. Only the top three were certain of making the final, and utterly unfazed, English simply held his ground entering the homestretch, before powering down to middle to take the victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just about not panicking, I knew something would open up, and I\u2019d get out. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m racing Community Games here, it\u2019s Europeans, they\u2019re all good. So it\u2019ll be a tight competition, and I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pattison also looked impressive when taking second, in 1:43.72, the 24-year-old having won World Championship bronze three years ago. British team-mate Max Burgin, also 24, won the first semi-final 1:44.80, with his finishing speed his greatest asset.<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning a championship record, in the semi-final, that\u2019s amazing,\u201d said Burgin when asked about English\u2019s effort. \u201cFrom a selfish point of view, I hope it took it out of them a little bit, but it just goes to show it will be a tasty final.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burgin\u2019s confidence is also high having made the Olympic and World Championship final in the last two years. The first semi-final did take out defending European champion Gabriel Tual from France, who finished sixth in 1:45.88. But Mohamed Attaoui from Spain, who won silver two years ago, always finishes fast. As can the other Spaniard David Barroso.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just about building up patterns in your head and trying to execute them,\u201d said English. \u201cI don\u2019t know how it will go. I\u2019ll have to have a look and see what people like to do, but I don\u2019t want to give away any more than that. I think it\u2019s just about going out there and giving it my best shot. I just want to show people what kind of work I put in.\u201d<\/p>\n
[\u00a0European Athletics and Swimming Championships: Complete guide to the Irish in actionOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n