Meet The Contenders: Ciara Mageean

Ciara Mageean

Ciara Mageean’s year has been filled with record breaking speed and performance. In 2020, Mageean broke three National records and cemented her status as one of the finest middle-distance runners globally. Despite the postponement of the Olympics, Mageean proved to be in scintillating form smashing record after record, fulfilling her goal of etching her name on the Irish record list.

In January, the Portaferry runner set precedent for what was to be an outstanding season as she broke the Irish 1500m indoor record in Boston. The 27-year-old ran 4:06.42, bettering her own record, which was set last year in Athlone, by 0.34. A month later, the track star ran a new personal best in the 3000m indoors, which was just under five seconds off Mary Cullen’s 11-year-old record.

During lockdown, Mageean refused to let the disappointment take over and continued to train hard. The fruits of her dedication and hard work were there for all to see. Five months after her last competitive race, Mageean became the first Irish woman to dip under the two-minute mark in the 800m. The former UCD student ran 1:59.69 breaking Rose-Ann Galligan’s existing record of 2:00.58 set in 2013.

Remarkably, just a month later, Ciara Mageean produced one of her finest performances to date, against a world-class 1000m field, which saw her claim a new Irish National record and third place at the Diamond League. In doing so, Mageean broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s 27-year old record.

Speaking about her newest records, Mageean told RTE, “It’s definitely part of my dreams in my career to hopefully put myself on that list of Irish records and get one that stands for a while, as long as Sonia’s have stood.”

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