European champion Mark English's historic gold medal in the 800m race was bolstered by the prayers of his 99-year-old grandmother, Eileen, according to his father, Joe English.
Joe English revealed that his Mayo-born mother, a devout Catholic, made a special trip to church on the morning of the final to pray and light candles for his son's success. "She doesn’t miss any of the races – she doesn’t often get emotional, but she cries her eyes out whenever he gets a medal," Joe told RTÉ.
At 33, English was the oldest competitor in the final, six years older than the next oldest. His father suggested that his son's "longevity" in the sport might be attributed to his grandmother's unwavering spiritual support. "She doesn’t go out of the house much now, but the morning of the final she said to my sister, ‘Will you take me down to the church? I want to say a few prayers and light a few candles.’"
Following the race, Joe English shared a touching moment with Marino Bloudek, the Croatian athlete who finished second. Bloudek approached English, recognizing him as Mark's father, and conveyed his respect for the winner. "All I said to him was, you were the best in Europe this year, and you deserve it," Bloudek told English.
The significance of English's achievement was also recognized by British athletics legend Sebastian Coe. Joe English recounted Coe's words, stating, "Your man is the first man in the nation to get gold in the Europeans." Coe highlighted that renowned Irish athletes such as Ron Delaney, Eamonn Coughlan, Frank O’Mara, and Marcus O’Sullivan had not achieved this specific European gold medal, adding, "I hope they get a chance to celebrate it in your own country, because we’re talking about it so much here in the UK."
Despite the celebratory atmosphere back home in Letterkenny, the newly crowned champion has returned to intense training. English, who is also a qualified doctor, has focused on sports science and high-altitude training in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains. This dedication is part of his ambition to achieve a complete set of European medals, having previously won four bronze and one silver.
His family, including his wife Brigid and two older sisters, have been steadfast supporters, traveling to numerous events, including three Olympic Games. However, financial support has been a challenge, with Joe English noting his son has been earning significantly less than minimum wage. "He’s an introverted sort of a guy... he lets his feet do the talking. So he wouldn’t be attracting big sponsors because of that persona," he explained. "But it’s not all about money. It’s about someone wanting to follow their dream and not having any regrets, and that’s what he’s at."
Paul McKee, Athletics Ireland's regional development officer for Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth, described English as "the gift that keeps on giving" and predicted he would be a medal contender at the next Olympics. Athletics Ireland president Bríd Golden praised the immense support from Irish fans at the event and celebrated the "absolute joy" of English's gold medal, which was closely followed by Rhasidat Adeleke's second European silver.
