Ciara Mageean has unfinished business with the Olympics.
The 24-year-old Down native ended her Rio campaign in disappointment at the semi-final stage when a 1500m run of 4:08.07 was only good enough for 11th place.
Despite a strong race – bettering her first heat by three seconds – the Portaferry athlete died out in the final 200m and fell out of contention to advance to the final.
Afterwards, she spoke with raw emotion and apologised to everyone back home for not giving them an Irish athlete to cheer on in the final.
A bitterly disappointed Ciara Mageean reflects on her 11th position in the 1500m semi-finals #rterio2016 #Athletics https://t.co/Gnvt6F5Ws1
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2016
Mageean has nothing to say sorry for. She’s done her country proud and she will continue to do so in the future.
She also has unfinished business with another love though and she hopes that future holds some place for camogie. In an interview with RTÉ Sport, the Portaferry GAC member spoke passionately about how even watching people puck around breaks her heart.
“Camogie was my first love. I’d love to go back and play it now,” she says in the video below.
“It breaks my heart because whenever I’m out watching my little sister play and even when I’m running around UCD watching the camógs up in the pitches there, I’d definitely love to step back in and play myself.
“One day, you never know, I might come back. It’s still one of my dreams, to win an All-Ireland championship with Portaferry.”
You can go to Brazil and compete in the Olympics but you’ll still always have a pull back to a GAA pitch. You’ll always have a pull back home.
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