Stunning Performances by Ireland's Rose-Anne Galligan & Mark English in London Diamond League

Rose- Anne Galligan (Newbridge AC) set a new national senior record of 2:00.58 to break the old mark held by legendary Irish distance runner Sonia O'Sullivan which stood at 2:00.69.

Galligan was competing in the diamond league meeting in the London Olympic Stadium in front of capacity 60,000 athletics fans. Galligan rose to the occasion to finish in a brilliant sixth place and break the 19 year old record held by O'Sullivan. The time was also a B-standard for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

Fellow Irish athlete Laura Crowe (An Riocht AC) acted as pace maker and brought the athletes through the bell in a fast 57.21. Galligan was running her own race as she paced her efforts perfectly to storm down the finishing straight to finish in sixth place. Galligan will be back in action in the women's 400m at the Woodie's DIY National Track and Field Championships starting today.

Mark English (UCD AC) was equally as impressive as he ran a massive new personal best of 1:44.84 to finish in sixth place in the men's 800m. English making his debut in the diamond league meetings sat off the early quick pace which saw the leaders go through the bell in 49.54 seconds. English powered down the finishing straight, picking off the world class athletes ahead of him, to finish in sixth place.

The time was only two one hundredths of a second outside David Mathews national record of 1:44.82 and was also an A standard for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.