Cool Ciara is planning to take it all in her stride
‘THE RACE IS THE EASY PART, YOU HAVE DONE THE WORK’
SHE’S been here before, Ciara Mageean – walked out on the sport’s biggest stages and felt the crippling weight of pressure hanging overhead.
Sometimes it elevated her to a new level – like in 2016 when she won the European bronze medal for 1500 metres – but other times it made her crumble, crushed her spirit and reduced her to tears as she walked off the track.
Either way, it’s the one given she’ll face in Berlin tonight when the 26-year-old from Portaferry in County Down walks into the Olympic Stadium to compete in front of 50,000 people. The fact Mageean has such a strong medal chance in the European 1500m final will make the pressure all the greater, though this time around she’s more than ready for it.
‘There’s no point being in a race if you’re not going to aim to be up there,’ she says. ‘Once you’re in the final, it’s anybody’s game.’
Mageean has been rounding into form of late after a poor 2017, after which she moved from Dublin to Manchester to join a professional training group, and her recent performances have ignited hope that she can get on the medal rostrum tonight.
To do so she will not only have to be in prime physical condition, but able to cope with the adrenaline that comes her way in the moments before the race. She is talking a good game.
‘The race is the easy part,’ she says. ‘You’ve done the work and once the gun goes, that’s when you feel most comfortable. Dealing with the nerves and all the little voices in the head is the tough part.
‘Knowing I’ve been here and done that, dealt with all these nerves and come out on top, I should maybe give myself some credit for that. I’ve done the work, and I’m ready for it.’
On Thursday night she was watching from her hotel room as Thomas Barr won bronze in the 400m hurdles and in such a tight-knit Irish team, such performances can prove contagious.
‘Tom is a brilliant guy to have on the team and he just lifts the mood of the camp no matter what he does,’ says Mageean. ‘To see him win a medal, so well deserved, who couldn’t smile and have confidence?’
The big favourite for the final is Britain’s Laura Muir, but Mageean is one of several athletes in with a chance of a minor
medal, which would crown a glorious week for the Irish.
Elsewhere in Berlin, Alex Wright turned in a career-best performance when finishing 10th in the men’s 20km race walk yesterday.
The Leevale athlete threw himself towards the front for the first half but faded late on, eventually battling his way to the line in 1:22:18, despite tripping at one point three-quarters of the way through. Cian McManamon came 21st in 1:25:43.
‘I was very confident and I felt brilliant,’ said Wright. ‘I picked up two warning cards and I still managed to finish strong and get a good result. There are so many positives to take from today and the way I attacked it, I’m delighted.’