Mark English has become the first man to win a gold medal for Ireland at the European Athletics Championships after he won the 800m in Birmingham.

English moved into first place inside the final 100 metres as he surged past Croatia’s Marino Bloudek to win with a time of one minute 45.26 seconds.

Ben Pattison was sixth, while there was disappointment for his Great Britain team-mate Max Burgin, who was forced to withdraw from the final after he sustained an injury in the warm-up.

But the night belonged to English, who finally won European gold after his bronze medals from 2014 in Zurich and four years ago in Munich.

The 33-year-old was the favourite for gold after he broke Olaf Beyer’s 48-year European record in his semi-final at Alexander Stadium.

And while he did not lead the final until he passed the hard-charging Bloudek turning on to the home straight, he delivered in style and fell to his knees as he crossed the line.

The gold for the Donegal runner, who is a qualified doctor, was the first medal of the Championships for Ireland before Rhasidat Adeleke claimed women’s 200m silver in the following race.

English won his first European medal – a bronze – as a 21-year-old in 2014, and was third in Munich in 2022.

“It’s just relief. I have been trying for a lifetime to get a title,” English told BBC Sport.

“It was relief in 2014 when I got my first medal and relief today as well. It is just amazing.

“I have made a few changes, moved to a new coach [Justin Rinaldi] and he has been amazing. Amazing in terms of advice before races. I have to give big praise to him.”

Bloudek of Croatia held on to win silver and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui claimed bronze.

Pattison, the sole British runner after the injury to Burgin, was in a strong position heading into the final 100m but fell short of a medal.

“I’m gutted. It was a great opportunity today to add to my medal collection,” Pattison said.

“I gave myself too much work to do, and the legs weren’t there. I’m just disappointed.”

In the race after English’s historic win, Ireland won their second medal of the night as Adeleke took silver in the women’s 200m behind home favourite Amy Hunt.

After an injury-plagued year, Adeleke only returned to action at the Irish National Championships to qualify for Birmingham.

The 23-year-old made a strong start and put in a late charge, and while Hunt was clear out in front, Adeleke was able to pip Dina Asher-Smith on the line by just 0.01 seconds, in a time of 22.28 – a new Irish record.

It is a fourth European medal for Adeleke, who claimed a silver in the 400m in Rome two years ago.

She also won gold in the mixed 4x400m relay and a silver in the women’s relay at the same Championships.

Later that year, she finished fourth at the Paris Olympics in the 400m but, after an injury-hit two years since, it marks a return to form as she returned to the European podium.

“I had to catch myself at the end because I was thinking I didn’t win,” Adeleke told BBC Sport.

“Once it sank in, I embraced it. A national record. I cannot believe it. If you knew what my journey looked like and where I was at this year – I barely made it here. I made it here on the last day. I qualified at the nationals.

“Now, I am here and I have won a medal. It has been really hard.”

With Commonwealth Games champion Kate O’Connor to come in the heptathlon, against the returning Katarina Johnson-Thompson, there are hopes the Irish medal rush has not finished yet.