WITH JUST FOUR months until the Olympic flame is lit in Rio, concerns remain over the fitness of Ireland’s leading track hopeful, Mark English.
The 22-year-old 800m runner has been nursing an ankle injury for the last seven weeks and is still unable to bear any weight on it.
English, who is still wearing a protective boot, has embarked on a rigorous rehab programme in a bid to get back on the track as soon as possible – but it’s been a slow process.
He sustained the injury after running over a pothole during an evening jog around the UCD campus and missed the World Indoor Championships in March.
“It’s coming along, I’m still quite hopeful [of getting back to full fitness],” he told The42. “Rehab is progressing nicely because it was much worse than I thought it was at the time.
“It just got more painful as the days went on and it has taken a lot of patience ever since.
“I was running really well through January and February so it has been difficult and was hard to watch guys you’ve beaten before go out and medal at the Worlds.”
The medical student won bronze at the European Championships in 2014 and a silver at the European Indoors last year.
He booked his place in Rio with an impressive run at the Anniversary Games in London last July and has mapped out his schedule for the next few months with the aim of peaking later in the summer – but he must first work his way back to full fitness.
“At the minute, I’m just looking to recover from this injury and run pain free,” he continued.
“The plan would be to build a small base in June before I hit the outdoor season properly and then maybe get into the races in July and start running fast. Hopefully it will all go according to plan.
“Obviously it’s hampered preparations but I’ve always been able to get back to my fitness levels after setbacks so hopefully it won’t take me too long to get back.”
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Find a role for him at Ulster.
@Keno: the Critism of Murphy is he lacks experience as a head coach, if Davidson came in as DoR, it would certainly add that experience.
@Kingshu: Ulster have a serious crop of young forwards, that rival anything in Leinster. Get him in as a forwards coach to compliment the work of Jimmy Duffy.
@Kingshu: Yes, this would be a good thing for Ulster and Irish rugby to have someone with the knowledge he has of the French setup.
@Brian Meagher: at club level he won’t be taking anything lower that Head coach or DoR role, maybe forwards coach of a top international side, but think not for a club side.
@Kingshu: Who knows? It would be a gateway back to coaching in Ireland, and, as i said an exciting group of players to coach (which is half the joy).
@Brian Meagher: rival anything Leinster have? They have a good bunch but let’s be real please
Would he take an attack coach position at Connacht?
@Con Cussed: Maybe even head coach??
@Paul Ennis: LOL but yes!