There has been more Olympics heartbreak for Irish 1500m superstar Ciara Mageean after she was forced to withdraw from the competition on Monday.
Mageean enjoyed the greatest high of her career by winning a maiden gold medal in the 1500m final at the European Athletics Championships less than two months' ago - becoming the first Irish woman since Sonya O'Sullivan to win one in over 20 years.
She had been a great medal hope for Ireland going into the 2024 Olympics in Paris off the back of that statement win, having never raced in an Olympic final in her two previous attempts.
She was eliminated in the heats at the 2016 Olympics before a calf tear put paid to her chances at the delayed Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Unfortunately, the County Down superstar will not get a chance to put things right in the French capital after confirming her decision to withdraw with an Achilles injury.
Qualifying for the 1500m final was due to begin on Tuesday, but her Olympic career appears to be over at the age of 32.
Speaking via an official statement published by Team Ireland, Mageean shared his devastation.
"I’m absolutely heartbroken not to be able to compete in my third Olympic Games," she said.
"I gave it everything to make it possible to be on the start line, but time was against me. I want to thank everyone for all their support."
Rob Heffernan questions whether European gold cost Ciara Mageean Olympics dream
Former Olympic medallist Rob Heffernan shared his sympathy for Mageean while on punditry for RTÉ after the news broke.
He did, however, question whether Mageean's injury had come about after her commitment to the European Championships in which she claimed that coveted gold medal.
I think doing Europeans seven weeks out - there is a massive, massive high off that as well," Heffernan explained.
"She is our first gold medallist since Sonya over 20 years ago.
"To turn around then - I am not saying it in a derogatory way because I was coaching a Swedish guy who was world champion this year and World champion as well. I didn't want him doing Europeans.
"Then when you come back off a Europeans and something goes wrong - the amount of stress that carries. It's like 'I got a virus' and you miss valuable training.
"When you are a real experienced athlete you know there is no bluffing when you miss training because you are up against the best on the planet.
"More stress follows and more pressure on your body. When your body is under pressure then it is not healing.
"I think Ciara changed coach as well. There has been a lot going on with her the last few weeks.
"I love Ciara Mageean because she is such a warrior but if you want it too much you can tip yourself over the edge.
"I don't know the whole ins and outs of it but it is sad news for all of us."
Paris 2024: "It's her last chance, she won't be back at the Olympics."
The RTÉ Sport panel react to the news that Ciara Mageean has withdrawn from the 1500m due to injury
📺 Watch https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱Updates https://t.co/RMawWKcrB1#Paris2024 #Olympicgames pic.twitter.com/6VL6wGNwV4— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 5, 2024
Heffernan added his view that this Olympics was Mageean's last opportunity, given that she will be 36-years-old when the competition returns in 2028.
'It's her last chance," Heffernan said.
"She is not going to be back at the Olympics in four years' time. Especially in an event like the 1500m you've younger, fast, really powerful athletes coming through.
"She still is the poster girl. I'd never run Ciara down because she is absolutely brilliant, what she has done.
"She has done so much for the sport. European champion and fourth last year at the Worlds.
"We know she is going to be hurting, but we are hurting as well because we all wanted to see her perform."
A real shame for Mageean and Team Ireland, especially when you consider just how impressive she was in claiming European gold in June.
