If there was a calmness in English’s words after he walked off the track, still cradling the Irish tricolour he hadn’t laid his hands on in four years, it was because he had been here before, both indoors and out, winning two European medals at the tender age of 21.

But if there was a wry satisfaction in his smile, too, it was explained by the intervening years, injury fleecing him of his form all too often when he showed up in the cauldron of major championships.

“That’s the nature of this game, you’ve got to stick at it,” he said. “You’re not going to win something every year but it’s a lesson for any young athlete out there, to stick at it. There’ll be more tough times than good times but it’ll be worth it when you get the good times.” English threw himself into contention from the start of the race, slotting into second place in last night’s men’s 800m final behind early leader Andreas Kramer of Sweden, and going into the final lap the Irishman was sitting third.

With seven men in the final — English was advanced by the track referee after being hampered by a British rival in Saturday’s semi-final — he knew where he needed to be throughout: at the front.

“The semi was a reminder that there’d be a lot of traffic to weave through,” he said. “I knew I had the closing speed so I was looking to stay out of trouble.” English went into the last lap in third place but appeared ripe for passing as a string of athletes lined up to launch their medal tilts. Chief among them Denmark’s Andreas Bube, who after the heats on Friday stood alongside the Irish media eavesdropping on English’s interview, the Irishman not giving anything away about his planned tactics.

On that final turn English had to dig down deep, extract any final energy from his legs, and churn his way to the line.

At that point I didn’t think I’d hold on for the medal but no one had the speed to come by me

“I just wanted to hold him off in the straight so he’d have to run wide.” The race was won by Spain’s Alvaro de Arriba in 1:46.83, with Britain’s Jamie Webb taking silver in 1:47.13 and English bronze in 1:47.39. It was the 19th medal won by the Irish since the championships began in 1970, and makes English just the third Irish athlete after David Gillick and Derval O’Rourke to win multiple medals at the event.

Indeed with three European medals in total to his name, it’s rarefied air he now inhabits, the next question being whether his mid-career renaissance will continue for an athlete long labelled a virtuoso talent. One whose brilliance may have dimmed at times in recent years, but never fully extinguished.

“Every European final I’ve been in I’ve won a medal,” he said. “The world level is a different game but I’ll be confident now next year with a bit more training and a bit more time that I could challenge.”