Mark English had a solid season opener in Sweden on Sunday night.

The Finn Valley AC runner clocked 1:47.62 to finish second in the 800m at the Folksam GP Stockholm in Sätra Friidrottshall.

The race was won by the Swedish athlete Andreas Kramer, the 2018 European silver medalist.

Kramer crossed the line in 1:45.90.

Next month, English will take her place among a world-class field at the Millrose Games – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet – next month.

The letterknny man will finish a charged 800 meters on February 11 at the Nike Track & Field Center in The Armory, New York, a race that will include: US Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy; Noah Kibet, the Indoor Silver Medalist from Kenya; Bryce Hoppel, USA’s World Indoor silver medalist; and Britain’s Kyle Langford, who won silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

English, last year’s European bronze medalist in the 800m, was named the Donegal Sports Star of the Year 2022 on Friday night.

English won a bronze medal outdoors in 2014, silver medalist indoors in 2015 and he won bronze indoors in 2019.

Now a qualified doctor, the 29-year-old, who recently joined PACE Sports Management, is aiming to maintain the promising form from 2022.

“I will continue to strive to achieve my best in 2023 and beyond,” English told the Donegal Sports Star Awards in a pre-recorded message.

“I hope to continue to do my community in Donegal proud.

“I’m so grateful to be included alongside so many other talented and accomplished athletes.

“I would like to thank the Donegal Sports Star Awards committee for recognizing my achievements over the past year. To be recognized by your own community for the hard work you have done is a truly gratifying experience.”

English took bronze at the European Championships in August, in 1:45.19 in Munich.
In June he ran 1:44.76 – the fastest championship 800m in history by an Irish athlete – at the world championships, finishing tenth and just missing out on the final.

The overall Donegal Sports Star of the Year in 2014 and 2015, English is only the second three-time winner, after Sinead Jennings.

He said: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for this incredible honour.

“I would like to thank Finn Valley AC for their encouragement and support throughout the year, as well as my own coach Feidhlim Kelly, and my family have been rocks through the highs and lows of my career.”

English saw off competition from a shortlist that also included Amber Barrett, Catriona Jennings, Dylan Browne-Monagle, Emma Doherty and Niamh McLaughlin to land the overall prize.