Latest news with #Mageean
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Building strength and perfecting race process is helping Sarah Healy find consistency
Right now, things are good. The best they've ever been in Sarah Healy's career. Break this year down any which way and the metrics all come back smelling of roses. But as the 24-year-old knows, it's not always like this. In 2025, Healy turned in her two best ever performances at senior championships: winning 3000m gold at the European Indoors followed by a sixth-place finish at the World Indoors. She has run Irish indoor records at 1500m and 3000m and set lifetime bests at those distances outdoors, sitting second on the respective Irish all-time lists behind Ciara Mageean and Sonia O'Sullivan. Healy has raced at five Diamond Leagues and only once finished outside the top three: a seventh-place finish in Eugene where she ran 3:57.20 for 1500m – still quicker than she'd run before this year. But the most notable statistic of all? Healy has run 14 races this year and not a single one has been bad. So, what's behind the consistency? 'I guess just getting physically stronger and better means that my average day is better now,' she says. 'I haven't really run a race where I haven't run under four minutes this year outdoors so it's kind of making that the norm. And then hopefully when I have a really good day, it'll be even faster. But as well, [I'm] kind of perfecting my race process in terms of knowing what works for me and what doesn't.' When she reflected on Eugene, the race she was 'least happy' with, Healy identified an old error. 'My approach was far more time-focused and it just didn't really put me in as good a mental state.' In early June, she claimed her first ever Diamond League victory in Rome, and there was a valuable lesson from that, too. 'It was my season opener for 1500m so I really didn't have any pressure or expectations. I just tried to enjoy it.' That relaxed attitude helped her to victory. 'I just tried to soak it in because winning Diamond Leagues is extremely rare and even just winning races as a professional athlete is rare. So you have to enjoy it when you can.' Healy says it's 'kind of funny' to see herself atop the Diamond League 1500m standings and she has two more outings planned on the sport's top circuit: in Silesia on August 16 and the final in Zurich on August 28. In Paris last month, she lowered her 1500m best to 3:57.15, putting her ninth in the world this year and within reach of Mageean's Irish record of 3:55.87. Healy, like so many in the athletics world, was rocked by the recent news of Mageean's cancer diagnosis. 'It's really shocking to hear when someone so young and so healthy faces something like that,' she says. 'We know that she's such a fighter. She said herself (she would) take that fight into what she's facing now. We were all just thinking of her and behind her. It really puts a lot of things in perspective.' This weekend, Healy will be back on track at the National Track and Field Championships in Santry, hoping to defend her title over 800m. With just over six weeks until the World Championships, Healy is in a great position. But she knows her recent form will count for nothing in Tokyo. 'The big goal would be to make the final, I've never made a [global outdoor] final before and in Paris, I didn't even make the semi-final. A final would be a huge step forward and I know I'm capable. I just need to get out there and do what I've been doing all season, take it one race at a time. I definitely won't be taking anything for granted.' In recent years Healy has put considerable work into her mental strength, and it's paying clear dividends. 'I realised I need to take the pressure off and not think about the outcome so much, more just trying to perfect my process for racing,' she says. 'I'm at a really nice phase of my career where I'm still improving a lot, but I've kind of got nothing to lose and everything to gain.'
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘She doesn't leave my mind at the moment' – Sarah Lavin's thoughts with Ciara Mageean following cancer diagnosis
Mageean publicly shared her shock diagnosis on Instagram earlier this month and wrote that she had started treatment. Lavin has been part of numerous Ireland squads with Mageean, including last year's European Championships where the Portaferry athlete won her European gold as well as the squad for the Paris Olympics when Mageean had to withdraw on the eve of her heat with an Achilles injury. Lavin says she was shocked to hear about Mageean's diagnosis. 'Complete and utter shock. Ciara is the queen of our team. She has always been such a stellar person, obviously one of our most prolific athletes ever,' Lavin said. 'She's your safe person that you go to talk to and that you go to before your race and eases you and makes you feel better. She's a very special person. Obviously an incredible athlete and she doesn't leave my mind at the moment. 'Just shock and sending everything possible, well wishes and healing, her way because it's just the injustice of life sometimes isn't it?' Lavin has been working with a new consultant biomechanist this year in an effort to break her national record and run as fast as she can in the 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Paul Brice is a former sprint hurdler who competed for Great Britain at junior and senior level and was part of London Olympic champion Jessica Ennis's specialist team. Along with her long-standing coach Noelle Morrissey, Brice is helping Lavin get up to speed sooner for the first hurdle which means altering her take-off point. They reviewed data and noted that her flight time over hurdle one was 0.330 when competitors can do it in 0.2/0.229. With her national record of 12.62 from the 2023 World Championships, Lavin believes she needs to run 12.5 to make the final in Tokyo. 'The biggest thing was I was getting too close to the first hurdle and then skying it so my angle of projection was off, not to get too technical about it. 'But we've pulled me back a little bit so the difference of me taking off at one metre 87 versus two metres is massive with regards to flight time. It's 0.15 on just one hurdle so it's just being able to do that consistently. 'It's really, really wonderful when it's working well and incredibly frustrating when you don't do it right. The first few races, you're trying to find confidence in that also and faith and trust in the change. 'But I do believe we're on the right path and so it's been enjoyable up to this point.' Lavin was the sole Irish winner at last month's European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia where she won the 100m hurdles in 12.82, just outside her season's best of 12.76. At the National Championships next month, Lavin is likely to double up for the 100m hurdles and the 200m as the schedule might inhibit her doing the 100m and 100m hurdles. If a 400m specialist like Sharlene Mawdsley or Sophie Becker decides to drop down to the 200m, it could make for a tasty head-to-head at Santry. 'I can see me running the 200m and the 100m hurdles. I will be terrified. When you see me on the start line for the 200m, just know that the fear of god is within me. 'If a few of the 400m girls go in it, it'll end up being a really good race.' *Sarah Lavin was speaking at an event to announce SPAR and EUROSPAR as official retail partners to the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
Irish Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
'We're all with you' - Top athletes flood Ciara Mageean with messages of support
Top athletes from around the globe have reached out to Ciara Mageean following her recent cancer diagnosis. The European Champion broke the shocking news on Friday evening, and promised ' to face this with the same fight I've always brought to the track'. Mageean said she has already started treatment and will be focusing on her recovery. After revealing the news, she was flooded with messages of support. "Ciara, you're one of the toughest and strongest people I know!! We're all with you," said ex-athlete turned Athletics host David Gillick. "Sending you so much love and strength," said fellow Irish Olympian Sharlene Mawdsley. "We are all behind you. Sending you so much love and strength," added 400 m sprinter Sophie Becker. "Sending all our love Ciara . New fight for you now warrior woman," said Rob Heffernan. "I don't have the words worthy to send you. Just you are so loved and so so strong. And I wish I could give you the biggest hug. Thinking of you all, your family, Thomas and mostly importantly you. You've spent your entire life defying odds. Saying lots of prayers," said Olympic flag bearer Sarah Lavin. "Thinking of you at this difficult time and wishing you all the best as you face this unexpected challenge," added Sonia O'Sullivan. "Thinking of you! You got this," said Olympic Gold medal winner and BBC Sports Personality of the Year Keely Hodgkinson. Taking to social media on Friday, Mageen released a statement about her diagnosis. "To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I've been diagnosed with cancer. "It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends."Right now, my focus is on healing and taking things one day at a time. I kindly ask that you respect my privacy and that of my loved ones as we move through this together. Your understanding means more than I can say."Thank you for the love and strength. I'm ready to face this with the same fight I've always brought to the track." The Portaferry native has had a stellar track career which culminated in an enthralling 1,500m European Gold last June when she raced to victory in Rome. She did suffer heartbreak when missing out on the Paris Olympics through injury but vowed to return for the Los Angeles games. Mageean holds national records in the 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the mile and has three European medals to her name, as well as a Commonwealth Games medal.
Extra.ie
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Ciara Mageean reveals shock cancer diagnosis in emotional statement
Olympian Ciara Mageean has revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer. The 33-year-old runner revealed her shock news on Instagram yesterday evening. Ms Mageean posted: 'To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I have been diagnosed with cancer.' Olympian Ciara Mageean has revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile She went on to say: 'It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends. Right now, my focus is on healing and taking things one day at a time. 'I kindly ask that you respect my privacy and that of my loved ones as we move through this together. Your understanding means more than I can say.' Ms Mageean thanked her fans for 'the love and strength', saying she was 'ready to face this with the same fight I've always brought to the track'. The 33-year-old runner revealed her shock news on Instagram yesterday evening. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile The runner from Co. Down last raced 12 months ago in Monaco. She showed strong form at the European Championships in Rome, where she beat British runner Georgia Hunter Bell to claim gold in the 1500m. Ms Bell went on to win bronze at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Ms Mageean was unfortunately forced to withdraw from the Paris Olympics due to an Achilles tendon issue. This resulted in her undergoing surgery in London that September. Ms Mageean spent the winter months of 2024 recovering before starting to run again earlier this year. Thomas Moran and Ciara Mageean. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile She had her sights set on the Tokyo World Championship this September but, due to an ankle injury in May, gave up on the idea of competing. Despite setbacks with her ankle and Achilles tendon, she still had strong ambitions of competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, a promise she made to herself after pulling out of the Paris Olympics. Recalling this painful moment, she said: 'I phoned my family and told them I was withdrawing, which was tough because they'd flown all that way to watch their daughter race at the Olympics. I gave up on that dream then.' However, she added: 'My dream may have been dashed but in that moment, I firmly set my sights on the next four-year cycle.' Ms Mageean holds the record as Ireland's fastest woman at the 800m, 1000m, 1500m and the mile. She was a semi-finalist at the Olympics in Rio in 2016 and has travelled to three Olympic Games. She is a four-time European medallist and has been a finalist in the world 1500m competition twice and placed fourth at Budapest in 2023. Ms Mageean was based in England for seven years after moving to Manchester to work with Team New Balance, under coach Steve Vernon. She lives in Belfast with fiancé Thomas Moran.
The 42
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Irish athlete Ciara Mageean diagnosed with cancer
IRISH ATHLETE CIARA Mageean has announced that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment. The European champion and two-time Olympian posted on Instagram this evening. The 33-year-old said the diagnosis has 'been a lot to take in,' but is 'ready to face this with the same fight I've always brought to the track'. Advertisement 'To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I've been diagnosed with cancer,' Mageean wrote. 'It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends. 'Right now, my focus is on healing and taking things one day at a time. I kindly ask that you respect my privacy and that of my loved ones as we move through this together. Your understanding means more than I can say. 'Thank you for the love and strength. I'm ready to face this with the same fight I've always brought to the track.' The Portaferry native won 1500m gold at the European Championships in Rome last June, having previously claimed silver (2022) and bronze (2016). She was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Olympic Games on the eve of her heat in Paris due to a long-running Achilles injury. Mageean had been targeting a return at September's World Championships. She made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016, and also featured at the 2021 Games in Tokyo, where injury also hampered her preparations. Mageean was crowned 2022 Athletics Ireland Athlete of the Year, and took the Middle Distance honour in 2024.
