Ciara Mageean broke her own Irish 1500m record as she finished second to Great Britain's Laura Muir in a tremendous battle at the Brussels Diamond League meeting on Friday night.
The Down native ran 3:55.87, taking 0.74 off the record which she set last month when she finished fourth in the final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Mageaan broke the national record for the first time last year at the same meeting.
Muir - who led at the bell from Australia's Jessica Hull in second and Mageean in third - ran 3:55.34, a season's best as she looked to be returning to her best.
"It was a close race with Ciara Mageean," said Muir.
"I know her very well and she always gets me in the last 100m. Today I kept an eye on her and I was able to give that extra bit of gear in the final part of the race.
"I felt a little disappointed after the World Championships. I was in great shape, but unfortunately, I did not have my best day at the most important race of the year. That´s sport and those things happen.
"I'm really happy that today I was able to show the form that I´m really in. I've ran here already several times and it's always a pleasure. The new track is really, really nice."
Ciara Mageean breaks Irish 1500m record
Ciara Mageean has just lowered her national 1500m record once again clocking 3.55.87 to finish second behind Laura Muir at the Brussels Diamond League meeting 🤩
The Portaferry woman moves inside the top 25 on the world all-time list for the event!@IrishRunnerMag pic.twitter.com/PFfnYnbOFN
— Rory Cassidy (@rorycassidy01) September 8, 2023
Mageean moved past Hull on the back straight of the final lap but was unable to pass Muir.
"I felt I did a good job," she told Fastest Losers.
"I got out and got myself in a good competitive place. It was pretty perfect, minus one place. It's always nice to do battle with Laura. She pipped me there today. I'm happy with that, to come away with a national record, it's brilliant.
"[With 200m to go, I was thinking] stay strong, up tall, and drive down that home straight and aim to win. Unfortunately, I didn't do that.
"It's been tough staying on a high after Budapest, it's been a really good championships for me. Coming out here and backing all that up with another good performance is a positive."
Ciara Mageean on her new Irish record in the 1500m #BrusselsDL pic.twitter.com/pQgAIGxKuo
— Fastest Losers (@Fastest_Losers) September 8, 2023
See Also: Great Night For Irish Athletes Fay, Lavin And O'Sullivan In Italy
