Mark English & Cian McPhillips Set to Face Off at Tomorrow's London Diamond League

Ireland's two fastest 800 metre runners in history will go head to head on one of athletics' biggest stages this weekend as Mark English and Cian McPhillips line up together in the men's 800 metres at tomorrow's London Diamond League.

English enjoyed a superb start to the season, becoming the first Irish man to win a Diamond League race when he stormed to victory in Shanghai in 1:43.85, before following it up with a runner up finish in Rome in a season's best 1:43.80. While his results have been more mixed since then, the Donegal native has already shown this year that he has the pace to compete with the very best on his day.

McPhillips, meanwhile, continues to build momentum after problems disrupted the early part of his campaign. The Irish record holder has steadily worked his way back over recent weeks, and Saturday's race offers another chance to test himself against one of the deepest fields he has faced this season.

The pair will take on an absolutely stacked field led by Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, alongside American Bryce Hoppel, Australia's Peter Bol, Britain's Max Burgin and several other global contenders, making it one of the standout middle distance races of the meeting.

Sarah Healy will also be looking to continue reasonably encouraging season when she lines up in the women's 3000 metres. The European Indoor 3000 metres champion has already secured her place over 1500 metres at next month's European Championships and added the 5000 metres qualifying standard with a national leading 14:48.88 in the Rome Diamond League in June. The UCD AC athlete also clocked a national leading 4:01.50 over 1500 metres in Paris before producing another encouraging run in the women's mile at the Oregon Diamond, and will be hoping to continue that form in London.

She faces another exceptionally strong field headed by Ethiopia's Medina Eisa, the 2023 African Games 5000 metres champion, fellow Ethiopian Fantaye Belayneh, currently ranked eighth in the world over 3000 metres, and Australia's Jessica Hull, the Olympic 1500 metres silver medallist.

Ireland's women's 4x100 metres relay squad will also be in action in one of the meeting's non Diamond League events. Ireland currently occupy the 9th of the 16 European Championships qualification places available through the B standard, leaving them well placed to secure their spot in Birmingham. In Luzern last night, Lucy May Sleeman, Lauren Roy, Sarah Leahy and Precious Akpe Moses combined to finish third in 43.89 seconds, providing another encouraging performance ahead of the qualification deadline. Ireland will face teams from Great Britain, Australia and the Netherlands in London.

Ireland's men's 4x100 metres relay squad will also be in action in one of the meeting's non Diamond League events. Ireland currently occupy the 15th of the 16 European Championships qualification places available through the B standard, leaving them with little margin for error in the race to Birmingham. In Luzern last night, Max O'Reilly, Sean Aigboboh, Mark Smyth and Bori Akinola clocked 39.25 seconds to finish fourth. Another strong performance in London could prove crucial as Ireland look to strengthen their position ahead of the qualification deadline. They will line up against Australia, Great Britain, Great Britain Under 20, Japan and the Netherlands.

Orla Comerford will also be in action in the women's para 100 metres, arriving in outstanding form. The Raheny Shamrock AC sprinter has won every para 100 metres race she has contested this season, culminating in a superb personal best of 11.72 seconds at the Morton Games last week. She will face another competitive field in London, including Dutch sprinter Fleur Jong, New Zealand's Anna Grimaldi, a two time Paralympic champion, and Australia's Rhiannon Clarke, the reigning Paralympic silver medallist over 100 metres.

Brandon Ballard completes the Irish interest in the para programme as he lines up in the men's para 1500 metres. Ballard, who transferred his international allegiance to Ireland last year, has produced encouraging performances this season, including victory in the para 1500 metres at the Loughborough International in May, and will look to continue that progress against another high quality field in London.