If Ciara Mageean had not already filled her boots sufficiently in 2023, she added yet another accolade to a halcyon year with a world best parkrun two days before Christmas. Running at Victoria Park, the Portaferry woman stopped the clock at an incredible 15 minutes and 13 seconds to take 12 seconds off the previous female parkrun best set by Australia’s Isobel Batt-Doyle at Aldinga Beach parkrun near Adelaide on 31 December 2022.
“I don’t know it’s if it’s official just yet but I’ve I looked up what it was previously,” said Mageean. " So, yeah, I’ve ran (sic) 15:13, that’s pretty good so it’s that’s nice way to start the Christmas.”
The achievement caps an incredible year for the New Balance-sponsored athlete who is now based in Manchester. National records at 800m, 1500m and mile as well as fourth place over 1500m at the World Athletics Championships were the highlights of a golden summer for the star of the County Down.
Since then and away from the track, the accolades have been coming in thick and fast. Athletics Ireland Track Athlete of the Year, Athletics Ireland joint Athlete of the Year and BBC NI Sports Personality of the Year awards all nestle comfortably in her already overloaded trophy cabinet.
But Mageean’s thoughts are now more fixed on 2024 than what she has achieved over the past 12 months. She intends spending all of January at altitude in Flagstaff, Arizona but will drop down to Boston for a few indoor races, including the New Balance Grand Prix at the start of February, in preparation for a long campaign outdoors that includes both European Championships and Olympic Games.
“It’s a big one for me with the Olympics coming up in the summer and there’s obviously World Indoors and a European championships as well in the run up to that (Olympic Games). So, it’s going to be a big summer.
“I’ve had a nice winter block behind me, nothing too particular, just working hard, so it’s nice to come out and have a good 5K time to show for that and hopefully that’s a good stepping stone for me into that Paris Olympics.
“I’m not going to focus hugely on the indoor season just because in previous years I’ve not really hammered the indoors but done well outdoors. So, I think for me, if I just run through it, try to get some good 3K races in me. Hopefully, if I run a few at home, I’ll try to get down to the nationals, if I can. Then get ready for European Champs and then Olympics Games. So yeah, I’m gonna probably spend most of my year up at altitude.
“I kind of picked up a few injuries over the past two years and didn’t really get to race indoors and (still) had a good summer. So, you’re looking at that, thinking is there a correlation but I’m in good shape so I’m planning on just getting out there and running a couple of races, not too many, and then if I’m in the shape I’ll go and I’ll give World Indoors a lash, not fully focusing on being at my best for it really, not trying to peak too much.
“So, I kind of said to my coach that we’re going to look at it and aim towards it possibly but not being the major focus like all eyes are set on Paris. So yeah, as I just said it’s a tough year when you’ve got a couple of things to try to aim for it’s hard to peak for all of them.
“The year that had Commonwealths and Europeans were obviously a tough one, but they weren’t too far apart so yeah, it’s tough but it’s part of the balancing of the sport and I’m lucky to have a good coach (Helen Clitheroe) behind me to help me plan for it.”
Up to now, the 31-year-old has concentrated on the 1500m at major championships but after her time in Victoria Park, that may change at some point in the future with doubling up at two events not out of the question.
“I’d like to give it a wee dabble (5000m). I’ve often thought maybe I’d like to go and double 5K and 1500 at a championships. So, watch this place, maybe sometime in the future you’ll see me lash 5K on the track, we’ll see how fast I can go there.”
Meantime the Olympic Games 1500m is Mageean’s out and out target for this summer. After finishing fourth at the World Athletics Championships this year, any small improvement could see her on the medal dais in Paris, maybe even gold.
“That’s my dream to see that tricolour raised and hear Amhrán na bFiann ring around the stadium. I will be giving it absolutely everything, throwing the kitchen sink at it, to try to make that dream come true.”
