Ireland has its first medal of the 2022 European Championships as Ciara Mageean stormed to a stunning silver in Munich this evening.
The Portaferry athlete ran a season's best of 4.02.56, and in the process, pushed the great Laura Muir to the very limit.
Ciara Mageean made her intentions clear from the gun and ran a truly ballsy race. The last 400m was a race between Muir and Mageean for the gold. Muir came out on top but crossed the line looking completely exhausted, a sign of how seriously she was tested by Mageean.
Its Mageean's second ever medal at the European championships, following on from her bronze in 2016.
It was one of the best races of Mageean's gilded career.
Ciara Mageean has capped a great season tonight
Mageean has had a fantastic year so far despite facing many challenges.
The Portaferry woman only ran one indoor race. After picking up an injury she decided to cut her campaign short to focus on the summer ahead.
In April, Ciara Mageean changed coach. Steve Vernon who had led her group at Team New Balance Manchester for several years got a job with UK Athletics meaning Helen Clitheroe took up the role of training Mageean.
Just as the City of Lisburn AC athlete was about to return to Ireland in June for National Championships in Santry she picked up Covid.
Having decided to focus on just two major championships this summer, Mageean missed the World Championships in Eugene but travelled to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games where she won a silver medal for Northern Ireland in what many considered to be the best race of her career.
Muir won gold that night as well.
Earlier in the evening Mark English finished 3rd in his 800m semi-final and qualified for Sunday's final.
The Donegal man ran a time of 1.46.46 and will be in with a serious shout of another European medal.
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