English breaks 48-year-old European 800m record

Irish middle-distance runner Mark English broke a 48-year-old European Championships 800m record on Wednesday, finishing his semifinal heat in 1 minute, 43.49 seconds at Alexander Stadium. His time eclipsed the previous championship record of 1:43.84 set by East Germany's Olaf Beyer in Prague in 1978. The 33-year-old, a two-time European Championships bronze medalist, was looking ahead to Thursday's final while crediting strong support from Irish fans in attendance.