Attaoui takes 800m bronze at European Championships as English claims first international title at 33

The 800m final

The men's 800m final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham delivered Spain's second medal of the competition on Thursday, 13 August. Mohamed Attaoui, a 24-year-old born in Beni Melal, Morocco, who moved to Torrelavega in Cantabria at age six, crossed the line in 1:45.71 to secure bronze. Ireland's Mark English, 33, won his first international title in 1:45.26, with Croatia's Marino Bloudek taking silver in 1:45.62. The pre-race favourite, Britain's Max Burgin, did not start after injuring himself during warmup.

Attaoui, who had been dealing with medical problems and the recent death of his grandfather in his native Beni Melal, changed his usual tactics. Instead of sitting back and accelerating in the final 300 metres, he went to the front from the start. The first lap was covered in 53.39 seconds. English, who had broken the championship record with 1:43.49 in the semifinals, a mark that had stood since 1978, took command with about 200 metres remaining and never relinquished the lead. Attaoui said English passed him with 250 metres to go, and he tried to respond with 150 metres left but his legs failed him.

Spanish duo near the podium

David Barroso, from Extremadura, finished fourth in 1:45.75, just four hundredths behind his teammate. The two are childhood friends and rivals who shared a room in Birmingham, and rank as the first and second fastest Spaniards ever in the event. Barroso said he believed a medal was within reach.

I saw the medal so close that for a moment I believed I could get it.

Attaoui, who had previously won silver at the European Championships in Rome 2024, bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Torun in March 2026, and finished fifth at both the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, acknowledged that his aggressive tactics cost him in the final 50 metres. He said the bronze was something he would have signed for a month and a half earlier, given his difficult season. He dedicated the medal to his coaches and his mother.

I dedicate the medal to my coaches who helped me continue with the season and also to my mom. I love you mom.

Attaoui also said he wished Barroso could have joined him on the podium, and that he owed his friend a dinner for winning their head-to-head in Birmingham, after Barroso had beaten him at the Spanish Championships.

English's long-awaited title

For Mark English, the gold capped a career that had previously yielded two European bronze medals over 800 metres, in 2014 and 2022. He had impressed in the semifinals by running 1:43.49, breaking a championship record that had stood since 1978. After the final, he remarked on the atmosphere.

I have never run in a big championship with so much noise, it was incredible.

Spain's medal tally and British sprint dominance

Attaoui's bronze was Spain's second medal in Birmingham, following Marta García's silver in the 5,000 metres on Tuesday. In the women's 200 metres, Britain's Amy Hunt, 24, the world silver medalist over 200m at Tokyo 2025, completed a sprint double by adding the 200m title to the 100m she won three days earlier. Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke took silver in 22.28, a national record, with Britain's Dina Asher-Smith third in 22.29. Spain's Jaël Bestué finished seventh in 22.69. Hunt said she would not celebrate until Sunday, as she still has the 4x100m relays ahead.