Femke Bol, Keely Hodgkinson, Nikki Hiltz and others extend support as European champion Ciara Mageean gets diagnosed with cancer

Femke Bol, Keely Hodgkinson, Nikki Hiltz, and other athletes recently expressed their empathy and support towards the European Champion Ciara Mageean, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Mageean made the unfortunate announcement on social media.

The Irish athlete secured a gold medal in the 1500m at the 2024 European Championships after bettering her performance from the bronze medal in 2016 and the silver medal at the 2022 European Championships. She also competed at the Rio and Tokyo Games before missing out on the Paris Olympics due to an Achilles injury.

The 33-year-old middle-distance runner opened up about her diagnosis on Instagram after penning a touching message.

"I’ve been diagnosed with cancer," Mageean wrote. "It’s been a lot to take in, but I’ve already started treatment and I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends."

Mageean received massive support from the track community as multiple athletes, including Femke Bol, sent her love and strength, writing:

"❤️❤️ sending you love and strength.

"♥️ oh Ciara. I’m sending so much love, bless you. xxx," Dina Asher-Smith wrote.

"You are already such a strong fighter! But sending you some extra strength and love ❤️ we’re all behind you," American athlete and Olympian Nikki Hiltz wrote.

Paris Olympics silver medalist Jessica Hull also offered her prayers and wrote:

"Wow Ciara I am so sorry to hear this ❤️ we are thinking of you and sending you all the strength you need in these moments. You’ve got this!"

The two-time Olympic medalist Keely Hodgkinson chimed in:

"Thinking of you! You got this ❤️‍🩹"

Femke Bol expresses her excitement for the upcoming World Athletics Championships

Femke Bol at the European Athletics Team Championships in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Getty Images)

Femke Bol recently expressed her excitement about competing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, in September. Bol will compete at the National Stadium, where she secured her Olympic bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I have good feelings,” she said. "But every season is different. I just want to go out there and enjoy the races, give my best, and see where it brings me.” (via Olympics.com)

“I have good feelings about the stadium in Tokyo, where I won my Olympic bronze medal. I'm just looking forward to returning to it,” she added.

Femke Bol recently dominated the 400m at the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division after clocking 49.48 seconds.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee