OMM Newsroom
Irish middle-distance runner Ciara Mageean, a former European champion and two-time Olympian, died on Sunday at the age of 34 after being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, according to Anadolu Agency.
Mageean, who was from Portaferry in Northern Ireland, was diagnosed in May 2025 and made her illness public in July that year.
“At 6.30am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones,” a statement posted on her “Instagram” account said.
“A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed,” the statement added.
Mageean’s biggest career victory came in June 2024, when she won gold in the women’s 1,500 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.
That made her only the second Irish athlete, after Sonia O’Sullivan, to win an individual European outdoor athletics title.
She had previously won bronze in the 1,500 metres at the 2016 European Championships and silver in 2022.
Mageean represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021. An Achilles injury forced her to withdraw from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She also represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, winning silver in the 1,500 metres in Birmingham in 2022.
