Olympic dream

Olympic dream

24 July 2024

OLYMPIC fever has swept Portaferry ahead of this Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris.

Personalised signs, flags and buntings have been spotted throughout the town and that is because hopes have never been higher for one of their very own as running superstar Ciara Mageean enters the Games in the form of her life.

Just a month after she finally added an elusive European gold medal to her collection during a magic night at the Stadio Olympico in Rome which will live long in the memory, the 32 year-old is daring to dream again.

Ciara will compete in one of the three 1500m heats on Tuesday, August 6, that will take place between 9am to 9.30am, local time, with the goal to ultimately progress and gain a podium place.

But, as expected, that will be no easy feat.

Ciara will have elite competition in Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, who is the current world record holder for the 1500m distance, and long-time British rival Laura Muir.

However, Ciara has been doing everything in her power to ensure she competes to the best of her ability, having recently embarked to Switzerland for altitude training.

Whilst there, Ciara was joined by mum Catherine, who was positive when discussing her daughter’s efforts.

“Everything is going to plan,” said Catherine.

“What will be will be. You just hope it all falls into place, and sometimes you just need a little bit of luck.

“You just hope, on the day, all the stars align.”

Bookmakers are also predicting that Ciara may very well produce the goods as Ireland is currently even money to at least equal its record gold medal haul of three at the Olympic Games.

A trio of gold medals in Atlanta in 1996 holds the Irish record but confidence is growing that Team Ireland are on the verge of a history breaking fortnight in France.

Ciara’s team-mates, who are seen as strong contenders for a medal by the bookmakers include gymnast Rhys McClenaghan, sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke, rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, boxer Kelly Harrington and swimmer Daniel Wiffen.

However, no matter what the result is in the upcoming weeks, Eamonn Christie, who coached Ciara throughout numerous successes as a junior, believes that the Portaferry star is already a winner.

“Ciara is always looking to give something back and, to me, that part of your legacy is much more important than winning medals and fast times,” he said.

“The medals you have, you can put them in a display cabinet and the times are always there to be broken, but being approachable and friendly and not forgetting where you come from is much more important.”

He added: “Ciara hasn’t forgotten that.”