Ciara Mageean of Lisburn AC has put Irish women’s middle distance running back on the map by finishing taking Silver medal at the World Youth Championships in Sudtirol, Italy running 2.03.07, a new Junior Irish record. This phenomenal time smashes the Irish Junior 800m record of 2:05.38, she set at the Irish Schools Championships in May when breaking Sonia O’Sullivan’s 1987 record of 2:05.72. Kenya’s Cherono Koech won the race in 2.01.67 in a Championship Record with Britain’s Rowena Cole 2.03.83 in third. Mageean’s time was also inside the previous Championship Best.

This exceptionally talented athlete is only 17 and this time also stands as a youth record and puts her on top of the 800m Irish Senior rankings for 2009 by almost two seconds and in the top 7 All-time Irish Ranking list in the 800m.

Mageean will be back in the track next week when she competes in 1500m at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Tampere, Finland.

Image courtesy IAAF