WITH UNDER two weeks to go until the start of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships, it appears as if Mark English’s hopes of running in Doha have ended.
Earlier this week, Irish athletes Michelle Finn, in the 3,000m steeplechase, and sprinter Phil Healy have earned places via the ‘quota’ system.
Finn and Healy received invitations from the IAAF.
The qualification system for the 2019 World Championships includes a ‘quota’ system with a target number of entrants set in each event, regardless of entry standards.
English was within 0.14 seconds of the 1:45.80 qualification mark when he won a Diamond League 800m in Birmingham last month – finishing there in 1:45.94. He also went close at the Tonbridge Twilight meet, where he won the 800m in 1:45.98.
Currently, however, with just 13 days to go until the start of the Championships, the Letterkenny man is down at fifth on the ‘quota’ list.
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.
