Mageean 'over the moon' after setting Irish record in Boston

Ciara Mageean made the flying start to 2020 by setting an Irish indoor 1500m record in Boston on Saturday night, the 27-year-old clocking 4:06.42 to break the previous record of 4:06.76, which she ran in Athlone last year.

Australia’s Jessica Hull took victory in 4:04.14 ahead of Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen (4:04.38).

“I’m delighted to have finished so strong and it’s nice to come off knowing there’s more in the tank. To start my season with 4:06 indoors, I’d have taken that in any outdoor season so I’m over the moon,” Mageean said.

Mageean will bypass this year’s World Indoor but she plans to attempt an Irish indoor 3000m record in Athlone next month before racing in Madrid and then closing out her indoor campaign at the Irish senior championships.Fellow Irishwoman Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner was also in action, the Dubliner putting injury problems behind her to clock an indoor PB of 4:16.70.

Elsewhere in Boston, Andrew Coscoran turned in a huge performance to clock his first sub-four-minute mile, the 23-year-old running 3:56.85 to finish second to American star Craig Engels, the fastest mile by an Irishman in five years.

Phil Healy made a flying start to her season by clocking 23.28 for 200m in Athlone, the third quickest on the Irish all-time list, while Cian McPhillips smashed the Irish U-20 indoor 1500m record with 3:44.85.

Ciara Neville was the star of Saturday’s Irish U-20 and U-23 Indoor Championships, the Emerald athlete clocking a championship best of 7.33 to win the U-23 60m. She also took 200m gold in 24.40.