FORMER world champion Eamonn Coghlan has tipped Mark English to be in medal contention at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next summer.
The Olympics were postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
English is a three-time European medallist and signed with Finn Valley AC earlier this year having completing his medical studies at UCD.
Coghlan, the world 5,000m champion in 1983, finished fourth at two Olympic Games and he believes English has the pedigree to get on the podium.
“I would still have great faith in the likes of Mark English,” said Coghlan.
“I have known Mark since he was 11-12 years of age competing in juvenile going into junior athletics.
“I always felt, even in the last couple of years, he should have achieved more than he has but he’s still only a young man and I’ve no doubt that if he gets his act together he can certainly medal when it comes to the Olympic Games.”
English was a bronze medallist at the 2019 European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, having won silver at the 2015 version in Prague.
At the 2014 European Championships, English won bronze in Zurich and the Letterkenny native has won 14 Irish senior titles.
Upon moving to Finn Valley AC in March, English said: “I’m aware of my record in the sport and I see what others have achieved. I’m very proud of the three European medals. They aren’t easy medals to win. I want to beef that up a bit now.”
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