Greg Allen defends commentary of Mark English gold medal win

RTÉ commentator Greg Allen has addressed online criticism regarding his coverage of Mark English’s 800m gold medal win at the European Athletics Championships. While some social media users questioned why Allen appeared focused on the broadcast screens rather than the live track during the race, Allen defended his approach.

Allen explained that a commentator’s responsibility is to follow the visual feed provided to the audience, as camera angles frequently shift between tight and wide shots. He noted that this technique was a professional standard taught to him by veteran commentator George Hamilton.

Despite the criticism, Allen’s passionate narration of English’s victory—the 33-year-old’s first European gold—received significant praise from many fans. The victory was part of a successful outing for Irish athletes in Birmingham, which also included gold for Kate O’Connor in the heptathlon.