Ciara is such a fighter.. we are all behind her

SARAH HEALY has described Ciara Mageean as “such a fighter" as her Team Ireland colleague continues her cancer treatment.

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

Healy, who won the European Indoors 3000m title in March, was shocked when the beloved Portaferry athlete made the announcement at the start of the month.

“Obviously it was such sad news to hear,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘Its really shocking to hear when someone so young and so healthy faces something like that.

“But we're just sending her support and we know that she’s such a fighter. I’m sure she'll, as she said herself, take that fight into what she’s facing now. Were all just thinking of her and are behind her. I guess it really puts a lot of things in perspective”

Sadly, Mageean (below with pal Healy) won't be able to compete at the World Championships in September after she won Europeans gold last year and then had her Olympic dream ripped away by an Achilles tear.