Dublin:Irish middle-distance runner and former European athletics champion Ciara Mageean has passed away at the age of 34. Mageean, who hailed from Portaferry in Northern Ireland, succumbed to stage 4 bowel cancer on Sunday.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Mageean was diagnosed with the illness in May 2025 and went public with her diagnosis in July of the same year. A statement on her Instagram account revealed that she passed away at 630 am surrounded by her loved ones. The statement described her as "a beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many," noting that she will be deeply missed.
Mageean's career was highlighted by her victory at the European Athletics Championships in June 2024, where she won gold in the women's 1500 meters in Rome. This achievement made her the second Irish athlete, following Sonia O'Sullivan, to secure an individual European outdoor athletics title. In addition to this gold medal, Mageean had previously won bronze in the 1500m at the 2016 European Championships and silver in 2022.
Throughout her career, Mageean represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were held in 2021. However, she was unable to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics due to an Achilles injury. Mageean also represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, earning a silver medal in the 1500m in Birmingham in 2022.