News

Ciara Mageean smashed Sonia O’Sullivan’s long-standing Irish 1500m record with one of the all-time great performances by an Irish athlete in last night’s Diamond League Meet in Brussels.

Mageean, who finished second to Laura Muir in both the European Championships and Commonwealth Games, managed to turn the tables on her Scottish opponent, claiming victory in a time of 3:56.63 seconds in a world class field.

That time improved on her previous best of 4:00.15 while also breaking Sonia O’Sullivan’s previous Irish record of 3:58.85 which had stood since 1995.

Muir, the Olympic silver medallist finished second in 3:56.86, with Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu who finished 4^th at the World Championships taking third, just .31 behind Mageean in a tight finish.

The race began to unfold in the final 250 meters, with Mageean storming past Laura Muir into third as she went in pursuit of the leaders coming around the final bend. The Portaferry star powered up the home straight and maintained her form all the way to the line to knock 2-seconds off the previous record.

Speaking after the race, Mageean said: “To be in the same realm as Sonia O’Sullivan, who is not only a renowned athlete in Ireland but globally – she’s a name everybody knows – to be able to put myself up there and compete with her times and now to surpass them, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of. That Irish record has been in my sights a long time. I’m glad I’ve finally been able to put my name to it.”

Chris O’Donnell was also in Diamond League action in Brussels last night, claiming a brilliant second place in the 400m in 45.78.

Full Results HERE

Diamond League Highlights (Skip to 3.42) HERE

Ciara Mageean Interview HERE