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My Greatest Race
'A harrowing, heartbreaking and yet heartwarming story.' MARY McALEESE
'We all know Ciara as a warrior on the athletics track. Now she faces the race of her life with the same grit and determination we have come to expect from her.' SONIA O'SULLIVAN
'This book is devastatingly brilliant. Ciara's life on the track has been world class and contrasting that with her cancer fight is compelling reading … I genuinely couldn't stop reading this book.' DERVAL O'ROURKE
'A raw account from the peak of athletic success to the devastating life-altering blow of cancer, Ciara's journey is both powerful and unflinchingly honest – one that forces you to pause and reflect on what truly matters.' DAVID GILLICK
'An honest, raw, and heartbreaking account of what it takes to fulfil your dreams and endure the pain of having them taken away. Ciara Mageean is a national treasure.' JACQUI HURLEY
Few Irish track athletes are as universally loved as Ciara Mageean, who has remained endearingly down-to-earth, candid and optimistic despite the dramatic twists and turns of her world-class career.
In 2024 she finally won a European title, crossing the line to secure that gold medal in a moment of pure euphoria. Two months later, at the peak of her power, an excruciating injury derailed her once again, forcing an eleventh-hour withdrawal from the Paris Olympics. In the City of Love she went, overnight, from competitor to heartbroken tourist. Nothing, she thought, will ever be as bad as this … and then she got the worst news of her life.
My Greatest Race is a sports memoir like no other, a devastating contrast between the elite-athlete road that so few get to travel and the all-too-familiar cancer journey that so many do.
'We all know Ciara as a warrior on the athletics track. Now she faces the race of her life with the same grit and determination we have come to expect from her.' SONIA O'SULLIVAN
'This book is devastatingly brilliant. Ciara's life on the track has been world class and contrasting that with her cancer fight is compelling reading … I genuinely couldn't stop reading this book.' DERVAL O'ROURKE
'A raw account from the peak of athletic success to the devastating life-altering blow of cancer, Ciara's journey is both powerful and unflinchingly honest – one that forces you to pause and reflect on what truly matters.' DAVID GILLICK
'An honest, raw, and heartbreaking account of what it takes to fulfil your dreams and endure the pain of having them taken away. Ciara Mageean is a national treasure.' JACQUI HURLEY
Few Irish track athletes are as universally loved as Ciara Mageean, who has remained endearingly down-to-earth, candid and optimistic despite the dramatic twists and turns of her world-class career.
In 2024 she finally won a European title, crossing the line to secure that gold medal in a moment of pure euphoria. Two months later, at the peak of her power, an excruciating injury derailed her once again, forcing an eleventh-hour withdrawal from the Paris Olympics. In the City of Love she went, overnight, from competitor to heartbroken tourist. Nothing, she thought, will ever be as bad as this … and then she got the worst news of her life.
My Greatest Race is a sports memoir like no other, a devastating contrast between the elite-athlete road that so few get to travel and the all-too-familiar cancer journey that so many do.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 29, 2026
FANTASTIC AND INSPIRING
Ciara is an athlete I truly adore and look up to, not only is her career so impressive as an Irish Athlete but her attitude towards global issues and life.
Can’t recommend this enough, even to non athletics fans 💕💕💕🫶🫶
Ciara is an athlete I truly adore and look up to, not only is her career so impressive as an Irish Athlete but her attitude towards global issues and life.
Can’t recommend this enough, even to non athletics fans 💕💕💕🫶🫶
Review of advance copy
I've loosely followed Ciara for a good few years and always been drawn to her unbelievable personality.
This book is just brilliant, it's so sad but also has so many good moments, it just highlights how cruel life can be. But you get to see what a brilliant person Ciara is and you cannot but be inspired by her. It's so well worth a read and would recommend it to anybody.
I love how gutsy she is and am in awe of her!
This book is just brilliant, it's so sad but also has so many good moments, it just highlights how cruel life can be. But you get to see what a brilliant person Ciara is and you cannot but be inspired by her. It's so well worth a read and would recommend it to anybody.
I love how gutsy she is and am in awe of her!
July 14, 2026
Absolutely brilliant, page turner. A fascinating look into the life of an elite athlete as well as the parallel story of her unexpected illness. Inspiring and emotional without being over sentimental. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy
Loved it. But cried my way through most chapters.
Found it a very fast read. I have been following Ciara for the last 10 years so I thought I knew her story, but this book showed me I didn’t. So raw and utterly heartbreaking.
Found it a very fast read. I have been following Ciara for the last 10 years so I thought I knew her story, but this book showed me I didn’t. So raw and utterly heartbreaking.
June 23, 2026
Bravery courage and resilience, despite a poor diagnosis Ciara tells her story in an inspiring way
Review of advance copy
I don't really follow athletics outside the big events, but watching an Irish athlete coming through to win a race always makes me very emotional in the moment for some reason, more so than team sports that I follow more closely. So, I was drawn to this book to learn more about Ciara outside of the post race interviews.
It was very well written, and once i started, I couldn't put it down. Given the context, it's very upsetting in places, but her strength of character and attitude throughout has left me inspired rather than downbeat.
She displays all the expected traits of someone who reaches the top of their sport, but her good nature, directness, wit, and sense of family/community really stand out. Her parents, family, and village must be very proud to have raised such a wonderful woman.
I can only imagine how her determination would have shown on the camogie field, I'd say it would have been some sight to behold.
Best of luck in the future Ciara, one thing is for sure, you will never give up!!
It was very well written, and once i started, I couldn't put it down. Given the context, it's very upsetting in places, but her strength of character and attitude throughout has left me inspired rather than downbeat.
She displays all the expected traits of someone who reaches the top of their sport, but her good nature, directness, wit, and sense of family/community really stand out. Her parents, family, and village must be very proud to have raised such a wonderful woman.
I can only imagine how her determination would have shown on the camogie field, I'd say it would have been some sight to behold.
Best of luck in the future Ciara, one thing is for sure, you will never give up!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews