Ciara Mageean cursing cruel timing of the Olympic gods as she's forced out of Games

Mageean had been due to run in the 1500m heats on Tuesday.

Ciara Mageean of Ireland. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For those who shine brightest at the Olympics, the Games’ quadrennial nature is to be treasured, making those golden moments all the more precious. But for those who endure heartbreak on this stage, there’s nothing left to do sometimes but curse the cruel timing of the Olympic gods.

By now, Ciara Mageean knows all about the dark side of the five-ringed circus: having performed below her best in Rio 2016; having raced with an injury in 2021; and now, worst of all, having been unable to race at all in 2024.