‘Heartbroken’ Mageean will return ‘with even more fire in my belly’

Ciara Mageean says she is “simply heartbroken” after being forced to withdraw from the Olympics but will return with “even more fire in my belly”.

The Ireland runner was forced to pull out of the 1500 metres on the eve of Tuesday’s heat with “painful chronic Achilles issues”.

The 32-year-old posted on Instagram that she “gave everything I could” to be fit, but “but unfortunately my body said no”.

“For now, I will spend some time with my family. My Olympics is gone, but I am not out,” added Mageean, who was set to race in Paris as the reigning European champion.

“I will come back stronger, and with even more fire in my belly.”

Mageean’s enforced withdrawal is the latest chapter in a number of Olympic heartbreaks for the athlete from the town of Portaferry in Northern Ireland, which she thanked as her “special place, on the good days and the bad”.

After her first European medal in 2016, Mageean narrowly missed out on a place in the final and a calf injury a week ahead of her heat in the delayed Tokyo Games saw her eliminated at the first time of asking.

Mageean won the 1500m at the European Championships in Rome in June, but had struggled for form in the Diamond League events in Monaco and Paris in the build-up to the Games.

“To everyone who has shared their support, who has messaged, travelled, put up banners, and cheered along the way – thank you,” she added in her post.

“I am so sorry I couldn’t give you more joyful days out there this summer.

“To the rest of the Irish Team good luck, I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.”