Returning Mageean smashes Irish 800m record in Manchester 

The Portaferry woman was running her first race of the season having sat out the indoor chapter due to injury

HAPPY DAYS: Ciara Mageean started her Olympic season in style. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Ciara Mageean’s road to Paris started with one giant leap on Saturday with the two-time European Championship 1,500m medallist knocking well over half-a-second off her Irish 800m record at the British Milers Club meet in Manchester.

It was her first race of the season having sat out the indoor chapter due to an injury picked up while running the fastest ever time at a Parkrun event over the Christmas.