- Published
European champion and two-time Olympian Ciara Mageean has died at the age of 34.
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Mageean → publish → 34
Mageean, from Portaferry in Northern Ireland, revealed in July last year that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
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she → reveal → cancer
A statement on her social media said: "At 6.30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones.
"
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Ciara → say → ones
A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed.
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she → miss → many
Mageean represented Ireland at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, but was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Paris Games because of an Achilles injury.
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Mageean → represent → injury
Earlier in 2024, Mageean clinched the first major title of her career when she took 1500m gold at the European Championships in Rome.
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she → clinch → Rome
The County Down athlete also represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, winning 1500m silver at Birmingham 2022.
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athlete → represent → Birmingham
A talented athlete from a young age, Mageean played camogie for Portaferry GAC, but her dream of representing Ireland at the Olympics led her to pursue a career in athletics.
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dream → play → athletics
Her running prowess was clear during an impressive junior career which yielded 1500m silvers at the 2010 World Junior Championships and 2011 European Junior Championships.
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which → yield → Championships
She also reached the 2010 Commonwealth Games 1500m final as an 18-year-old.
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She → reach → old
However, Mageean's early progress in the senior ranks was hampered by a serious ankle injury, which ended her hopes of making an Olympic debut at London 2012.
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which → hamper → London
Having undergone surgery in 2013, Mageean won the Irish 1500m title on her return in July 2014.
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Mageean → undergo → July
In 2016, she claimed 1500m bronze at the European Championships in Amsterdam, but her Olympic debut ended in disappointment as she exited the 1500m competition at the semi-final stage.
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she → claim → stage
In late 2017, Mageean left her Dublin base to join Steve Vernon's Team New Balance in Manchester after parting ways with coach Jerry Kiernan.
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Mageean → leave → Kiernan
And while she endured some disappointing results following the move, Mageean claimed a European Indoor bronze medal in March 2019 before clocking 2:31.06 to take 3.6 seconds off Sonia O'Sullivan's 27-year-old Irish 1,000m record at the 2020 Diamond League Monaco meet.
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Mageean → endure → meet
Mageean endured more Olympic heartache at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, where a calf injury disrupted her preparations as she exited from the heats.
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she → endure → heats
However, she enjoyed a successful 2022 campaign under the guidance of former Great Britain Olympian Helen Clitheroe, winning 1500m European and Commonwealth silver behind Laura Muir.
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she → enjoy → Muir
Two weeks after the Euros, Mageean beat Muir and a world-class field to seal a stunning 1500m victory at Diamond League Brussels.
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Mageean → beat → Brussels
Her time of 3:56.63 took 2.22 seconds off O'Sullivan's 27-year-old Irish record and marked her first sub four-minute run.
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time → take → run
In 2023, Mageean narrowly missed out on a World Championship medal as she finished fourth in a high-class final in Budapest.
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she → miss → Budapest
However, after taking over two seconds off Sonia O'Sullivan's 29-year Irish mile record in July, Mageean was named the 2023 BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year.
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Mageean → take → Year
After a string of near-misses at championship level, Mageean secured the biggest win of her career at the 2024 European Championships in Rome.
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Mageean → secure → Rome
In a gripping final, Mageean found herself boxed behind Great Britain duo Georgia Bell and Jemma Reekie, but managed to dart through a gap and power down the straight to victory in 4:04.66.
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herself → find → 4:04.66
An ecstatic Mageean - who won admirers for her honest and emotional post-race interviews down the years - said "words can't even come close" to describing how she felt after sealing the first major title of her career.
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she → win → career
After Mageean's jubilation in Rome, injury again interrupted her Olympic bid as an Achilles injury forced her to withdraw on the eve of her heat in Paris.
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injury → interrupt → Paris
The Aporia
