Mark was thrilled with the welcome he received, as a large crowd of family and friends travelled from 5.30am to greet their hero at Dublin Airport.

Getting ready to welcome @markenglish_ home! pic.twitter.com/JG2TtLKDdG

— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 18, 2014

"It's fantastic. It's just been a rapturous experience coming out through those doors and to have the team behind me as well who supported me all the way through," he said.

"To see my family and friends then on coming out, it was a fantastic moment for me.

"It's huge for them, because they have put in so much work as well as me over the years. Athletics may be an individual pursuit out there, but it is a team effort as well.

"I am just so grateful for everything that has happened."

Media interviewing the man himself @markenglish_ pic.twitter.com/Q7OKFO78lD

— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 18, 2014

Reflecting back on the race, English says it was all a bit of a whirlwind.

"The aftermath is just a bit of a strange recollection right now - it's a bit hazy.

"Events blur a bit right after it, from getting the medal and onto the podium.

"It might seem like it happens in the blink of an eye, but there is so much work put into this over so many years, and it's so nice to be here with a medal right now."

Overall, Mark says the future is a bright one.

"It sets me up in good stead. If you look at the other guys who have got medals in the past like the guy who won the race, his medals flowed from that there.

"He got more (medals) quite easily after that. I don't want to look too far ahead. I just want to take each competition as it comes to me, but it does bode well for the future."

Mark's father Joe says his son has put in a lot of hard work to reach this point.

"Mark is in college in UCD. We don't see much of what he does, but we know that he trains hard. He wouldn't be an athlete who overtrains and he has to combine his athletics with a difficult course.

He says everyone is proud of what Mark has achieved.

"It's quite emotional. Even to see neighbours coming up on buses here, from 5.30am this morning, it does really bring it home to you that people appreciate what Mark did over in Zurich. It's lovely.

"This is the time of year when people are on holidays, and some of his friends are away, so I'm sure there would be even more people here if it was term time.

"All of our own family are here, and a lot of people from Letterkenny. It's very nice the way they are paying tribute to Mark's performance.

"They obviously appreciate it as much as we do."