It sadly was not to be for Ciara Mageean in Tuesday evening's 1500m World Championship final, as she finished an agonising fourth place in a fiercely competitive race.
Mageean was drawn number one for the final from the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, lining up alongside strong favourite Faith Kipyegon of Kenya.
Mageean started strongly, as the pack set off at a remarkably fast pace across the opening 100 metres, and slotted in with the leading group of 4-5 runners.
There she would remain for the first three laps, keeping close tabs on the leading trio of Kipyegon, Diribe Welteji, and Sifan Hassan. Entering the final 200 metres, that leading quartet would pull away, but Mageean came up just short in her pursuit of Hassan for the bronze medal.
Her time of 3:56.61 in fourth place was just six tenths of a second off a medal, and marked a stunning new national record, on a night where she proved her worth as an elite athlete on a global stage.
With the Olympics in Paris less than a year away, the future looks bright for Ciara Mageean - and she tried to look on that bright side during a bittersweet interview immediately after the race.
Ciara Mageean gives uplifting interview after "bittersweet" fourth place
European 1500m silver medallist Ciara Mageean put in a stellar performance across the World Championships to finish an excellent fourth in Tuesday's final.
The Portaferry runner finished third in her semi-final with a strong time of 4:02.70, and would shave over six seconds off her time in a tactical final.
Fourth is always a heartbreaking position in which to finish, but there was so much to be proud of after an excellent showing from Mageean.
"To come away with fourth is so bittersweet. I'll probably have a wee bit of a cry.
"But many years ago I wouldn't have dreamt of fourth in the world.
"I just know that I have it, it's there. Another year to Olympics."
- @ciaramageean. 💚#TeamIreland #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/sO5fa1OLlD— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) August 22, 2023
Speaking to Virgin Media immediately after the race, Mageean explained her understandable heartbreak - but said that it was extraordinary to be disappointed with such a result:
To be honest, to be disappointed with fourth in the world is probably a good thing.
I came into these championships with an aim - knowing that I had a chance to medal, probably feeling the best I ever felt going into a championship. To come away with fourth is so bittersweet.
I'll probably have a wee bit of a cry! But, honestly, I've had the season of my life. Many years ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of fourth in the world at senior level...[now] I'm going out there and I'm disappointed with this. Coming away with a PB and a national record.
Looking down the line, Paris 2024 looms large, with the Olympic Games less than 12 months away.
22 August 2023; Ciara Mageean of Ireland reacts after finishing fourth in the women's 1500m final during day four of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Mageean said that she felt she had announced her place among the world elite, and said that he hoped to strike fear in her opponents on the start line at the Stade de France this time next year:
I just know that I have it! It's there. We've got another year to the Olympics, I'm putting myself up in a fighting place in the 1500m, challenging the best in the world.
My mindset was to go out and run as hard as I could, to go out there and leave everything on the track. I did that. Faith was beside me, it's tough being drawn number one, because you think is everybody going to swarm me in that first 100? But I got myself out, I stayed behind Faith, I knew that she's the woman to track.
I only wish I had a little more in that final 100. But yeah, I ran the race perfectly, I did it as best I could.
As my mummy says, all you can do is your best. So, I have to walk away with my head held high. I am not disappointed to get a medal around my neck and see the tricolour raised in the stadium. That dream lives on, and I've got as many races ahead of me next year and the year after.
I feel I'm up there. I've earned my place and now people will fear when they see a wee tricolour up on the start line.
Thank you to everybody at home and everybody behind me...all those whose weddings I've missed, whose Christenings I've missed. Thanks for forgiving me, and I'll be back.
An outstanding performance from Ciara Mageean, and you feel as though there is only more to come.
Featured image: Sportsfile
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