English still waits on invite as Doha date draws near

Mark English is still waiting on an invite from the IAAF for the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha with time running out.

Michelle Finn, in the 3,000m steeplechase, and sprinter Phil Healy have earned places via the ‘quota’ system.

Milford’s Brendan Boyce is also among the Irish athletes who will compete in Doha. The Finn Valley AC race walker qualified earlier this year having reached the standard.

Stephen Scullion, Thomas Barr, Ciara Mageean and Alex Wright will also travel to the Championships.

It is an anxious wait now for English, though.

At the end of August, the Letterkenny native fell just short of the 1:45.80 standard for Doha when he won the 800m at the Tonbridge Twilight meet in Kent in 1:45.98.

Prior to that, the three-time European medallist roared to an impressive win at a Diamond League meet in Birmingham. There, English came with a late surge in the race to win in 1:45.94.

Earlier this year, English won bronze at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow.