Ciara Mageean Targets 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with Renewed Motivation

European 1500m champion Ciara Mageean is aiming for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, despite the profound disappointment of her recent withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games due to injury. The Team Ireland athlete withdrew from the 1500m event in France in August, just before her heat, citing “painful chronic Achilles issues.” However, Mageean is now focusing on future objectives with optimism, including the prospect of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as she recovers from surgery. Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Mageean stated, “I have a long road of recovery ahead.” She acknowledged the timeframe, adding, “Four years is a long time. I’m 32. I’ll be 36 at the next Olympic Games but all I can say is I’m very motivated for it. I’m determined to be there.” She further expressed her commitment: “I don’t know what the path ahead will hold but I’ll be giving it absolutely everything to toe that line, fit and healthy, and be able to finally have an Olympic Games that I can walk away proud of.” This compulsory withdrawal represents the most recent in a series of Olympic setbacks for the athlete, who hails from Portaferry, Northern Ireland. The County Down native previously missed a spot in her event’s final in 2016, and a calf injury sustained a week prior to her heat in the postponed Tokyo Games led to her early elimination. Earlier this year, in June, she secured victory in the 1500m at the European Championships in Rome. However, she had experienced difficulties with her form during the Diamond League events held in Monaco and Paris leading up to the Games. Mageean elaborated, stating, “I’ve been managing an ankle issue for years, this is not a new occurrence for me.” She continued, “For the past eight years I’ve been dealing with pain in my right ankle that ranges from being slightly uncomfortable when I’m going about my day-to-day activities to actually not being able to physically run and sitting on the stairs contemplating if I can continue, if I need to retire from the sport.” She added, “It’s always been about micro-managing around my ankle and the summer was going well, the European Champs was obviously phenomenal and I was delighted to finally get that gold medal.” Olympic preparations continued until persistent ankle pain, which emerged after a training session two weeks prior to the Games, necessitated the challenging decision to withdraw from Paris 2024. “I had two injections into the ankle, into different aspects to see if we could settle down the pain and unfortunately it didn’t which resulted in me having to make the decision the day before I was going to commence my third Olympic Games that I’d have to withdraw,” Mageean explained. She described the experience as “absolutely heartbreaking and devastating to have to make that decision. The fact I didn’t know I’d be able to make it through the race was the main factor. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do myself justice out there.” Mageean disclosed that she found herself unable to watch the women’s Olympic 1500m races. She stated, “I didn’t watch those races because I couldn’t bring myself to do that and I still haven’t watched them. Maybe some day I’ll be able to sit down and watch them but it’s not going to be anytime soon. I’m on a road of recovery and that grieving cycle is still rolling around.” She reflected, “You have to roll with the punches and I’ve had beautiful moments. The European Championships was one of them. I’m very determined that that won’t be my last memory of an Olympic Games so it’s given me more fire in my belly for another four-year cycle.” Mageean underwent surgery 10 weeks ago and is now capable of walking again. She has also established residence in Northern Ireland, a first for her since attending university at the age of 19. “I’m in a building phase. Rehab is going well. I won’t be able to run for another while, the surgeon suggests it’s maybe six months post-surgery,” Mageean stated. She dismissed notions of retirement, adding, “Some people have said they felt I’d retire after the Games but that’s not in my thinking, not in my psyche. I want to leave this sport on my terms.” Regarding future competitions, she noted, “The World Championships are fairly late in the season next year and I feel like I could get in shape to go out there and race. Maybe I won’t be in the shape of my life given I will have had surgery just a year before but that’s a good goal to have while going through this process.”