So near, yet so far, for Mageean as Portaferry runner
PORTAFERRY’S Ciara Mageean had the agonising experience last night of finishing fourth in the European 1,500 metres final in Berlin, just missing out on a medal by less than a second.
It was a case of so near, yet so far for the 26-year-old who gave everything in a race dominated, as expected, by European Indoors champion Laura Muir.
After a pedestrian early pace, Muir took up the gauntlet halfway through and never relinquished the lead.
Ciara was in contention with 150 metres left along with GB’s Laura Weightman and Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui. However, Weightman got the edge in the home straight which Mageean, try as she could, just could not close for the bronze .
An unchallenged Muir took gold in 4.02.32 ahead of Ennaoui (4.03.08) and Weightman (4.03.75). Ciara recorded 4.04.63.
A despondent Mageean said: “I didn’t come here for fourth — it’s just the worse place to be. Fourth is a very lonely place.
I left everything out there. I was on my hands and knees at the finish. I do, however, take a lot from this and I am improving all the time. This was a much better field than two years ago when I got bronze. Laura is a world class athlete and I am just not yet up with her.
“Weightman had an extra gear and I thought I had her. I can hold my head high after tonight.
“There is more to come and I feel I am going from strength to strength. From now on I want other girls to look at me on the line as a real threat.”
In an eventful day, the Irish Women’s Relay team were just run out of a finals place in the sprint relay.
In the Men’s Marathon, run in 30 degree temperatures, Belfast’s Kevin Seaward ran a cagey, determined race to finish an excellent 15th in the 100 strong field and head the Irish team to a commendable sixth place in the Team event behind winners Italy.
Commonwealth Games fourth placer Seaward of St Malachy’s was his usual cautious starter and went through the halfway mark in just over 68 minutes.
After that, he gradually made inroads into the opposition in a standard even paced race. The 32-year-old passed long time early Irish leader Mick Clohissey with four miles remaining. Seaward mirrored his tactics in Australia and finished like the proverbial train in 2 hrs 16 mins 58 secs which is one of his fastest times.
He was followed by Clohissey in 18th (2.18.00) Sean Hehir (25th in 2.18.58 ), Sergiu Ciobanu (36th in 2.19.49) and Annadale’s Paul Pollock (47 th in 2.23.26).