{"id":12960,"date":"2026-11-01T14:02:59","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T14:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12960"},"modified":"2026-11-01T14:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T14:02:59","slug":"irelands-european-athletics-champion-ciara-mageean-dies-aged-34-athletics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12960","title":{"rendered":"Ireland\u2019s European athletics champion Ciara Mageean dies aged 34 | Athletics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mageean, who compete at two Olympic Games, lost her battle with cancer a year after revealing her diagnosis.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 1 Nov 2026<\/span>1 Nov 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Irish middle-distance runner Ciara Mageean, who won European gold and competed at two Olympic Games, has died aged 34, her family has announced.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt 6:30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones,\u201d said a statement posted on the athlete\u2019s Instagram account on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Mageean\u2019s death comes just weeks after she married her long-term boyfriend in Belfast.<\/p>\n

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She had been receiving treatment for bowel cancer, revealing her diagnosis in July 2025 and subsequently disclosing that the disease was at an advanced stage.<\/p>\n

Originally from Portaferry in County Down, Northern Ireland, Mageean established herself as one of the island of Ireland\u2019s leading middle-distance runners, setting several records in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.<\/p>\n

She represented the republic at the 2016 Rio Olympics, at the Tokyo Games held in 2021, and in her greatest sporting achievement \u2013 in 2024 when, she claimed the 1,500 metres title at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.<\/p>\n

But an Achilles tendon injury prevented her from competing at the Paris Olympics that year.<\/p>\n

Mageean remained remarkably positive throughout her period of illness, saying she was \u201ccontinuing to find the joy in everyday\u201d as she thanked people for their support following her diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the BBC in June, she said she was \u201cgrateful\u201d for having a career \u201cthat many others didn\u2019t get to have\u201d.<\/p>\n

Tributes poured in for Mageean, who also won European bronze and silver in the 1,500m (in 2016 and 2022, respectively) and finished second in the event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she represented Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe country has lost a hero,\u201d the Olympic Federation of Ireland said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond the medals, records and sporting accolades, Ciara will be remembered for her warmth, courage and tremendous strength of character,\u201d said Northern Ireland\u2019s First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n

The Republic of Ireland\u2019s prime minister, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, said he was \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by Mageean\u2019s \u201cuntimely passing\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Mageean, who compete at two Olympic Games, lost her battle with cancer a year after revealing her diagnosis. Published On 1 Nov 20261 Nov 2026 Irish middle-distance runner Ciara Mageean, who won European gold and competed at two Olympic Games, has died aged 34, her family has announced. \u201cAt 6:30am this morning, Ciara lost her…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t