Inside Ciara Mageean's career and family life with college sweetheart Thomas
The 1500m sprinter, who had just won gold at last year's European Championship in Rome, revealed her shock diagnosis on Friday and that she has already begun treatment. Ciara Mageean has shocked the nation after she revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Hailing from Portaferry in Co Down, Ciara had a background in camogie before trading the pitch for the track, taking home a bronze medal in the 1500m race at the Commonwealth Youth Games in India in 2008.
She would win several more medals, including gold at the European Youth Olympics and silver at the European Junior Championship, before making her Olympic debut with Team Ireland at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She won two further bronze medals at the European Championships, before winning silver at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships in 2022, before finally taking home gold in the 1500m race at the Europeans in Rome. Ciara won gold at the 1500m race during the European Championships in Rome last year. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Her parents and camogie coach also credited her time on the pitch being seamlessly translated to her time on the track, with her mum Catherine saying that her dash to the finish in her gold medal race was as if she was still playing camogie.
'It was as if she was going for goal with a hurl and a ball,' she said after the race. 'That's exactly what she was like. I thought 'That's it, no-one is catching her.' Thomas Moran and Ciara got engaged over Christmas of last year. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
In 2017, Ciara graduated from UCD with a BSc in Physiotherapy in 2017, having been awarded an Ad Astra Elite Scholarship. She ended up missing the graduation ceremony due to a competition, but was able to have a mini ceremony thrown by her now fiancé Thomas Moran.
'They got me a robe, and a hat, robbed my script from the cupboard it was hidden away in and told me to get dressed up for a surprise,' Ciara wrote on her Instagram.
And speaking of, she met her soon to be husband Thomas in college, with fellow athlete Thomas competing in the 1500m race of his own; winning the Griffith Avenue mile in 2019.
Late last year, Thomas popped the question — with Ciara telling EVOKE that the proposal was a long time coming.
'He bought a ring in Switzerland and was planning on proposing in Switzerland, but I was obviously going through a rough time,' she said. 'After the Olympics in Paris, whenever we have a little bit of time together. And then obviously that didn't go to plan. So yeah, the poor lad's been waiting for his opportunity.' Unfortunately, Ciara was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, revealing her diagnosis on Friday. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Ciara announced on Friday that she was diagnosed with cancer, sharing a photo of her receiving chemotherapy on her Instagram.
'To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I have been diagnosed with cancer,' she wrote. 'It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends. Right now, my focus is on healing and taking things one day at a time.
'I kindly ask that you respect my privacy and that of my loved ones as we move through this together. Your understanding means more than I can say.'
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