CIARA Mageean has announced her engagement to her ‘training partner for life’ Tom Moran.
The European champion met her other half through athletics when they trained together at UCD.
In a heartwarming Instagram post revealing their engagement the 32-year-old wrote: “My biggest prize yet!
“2024 came to a close by answering the easiest question I’ve ever been asked.
“Tommy has been the rock by my side for over ten years, and now, my training partner for life.”
Irish sports stars from the athletics world and beyond were fast off the block to share their glee at hearing the happy update.
Rhasidat Adeleke gushed: “Omggg congrats guys!!!”
Golf ace Leona Maguire added: “Amazing news, congrats to you both!!”
Kilkenny camogie legend Grace Walsh commented: “Huge congrats Ciara!”
Lastly, RTE Sport anchor Jacqui Hurley passed on her best.
She hailed: “The best news!! Huge congrats you two!”
Such a memorable moment ensures the Portaferry woman ended a rollercoaster 2024 on a massive high.
Coming off her gold medal triumph at the European Championships in June, the stars finally seemed to be aligning for her to do herself justice on the Olympic stage.
However, once again she was the victim of a cruel fate as the Games fell with a niggling Achilles giving out on the eve of her date with destiny.
In September she recalled her Paris pain, admitting that she felt ’empty’ when she was forced to pull out in the days before her event took place.
The County Down woman told Virgin Media: “It’s so hard.
“For everybody else, the Olympics is one week. But for me this is an entire cycle, an entire career.
“Since having to make the decision that I wouldn’t toe the line, one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made in my life . . . I’ve cried, I’ve felt as empty as I’ve ever felt.
“I will put any part of my body on the line for that Irish vest but this time it was too much. It breaks my heart.”
She missed out on the 2012 London Games, picking up an ankle injury in her efforts to qualify which eventually required surgery.
In Rio, she failed to make the final of the 1500m and tore her calf prior to the Tokyo Games when she again was unable to qualify from her heat.
However, speaking two months later after she’d fully come to terms with the disappointment she outlined how she’s not given up hope of representing Team Ireland in 2028 in Los Angeles.