Ciara Mageean eyes important step forward on road to recovery

Ciara Mageean is getting closer to a return and confirmed September's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo are "the big aim" driving her recovery.

Mageean missed out on the Paris Olympics last summer due to a longstanding ankle issue that ultimately required surgery.

After going under the knife in September, the 32-year-old has had to be disciplined and patient in her recuperation, coming under instructions to stay off her feet for most of the day in the early stages of her rehab.

However there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Mageean is now targeting an important step forward as she sets her sights on the Worlds.

"We're looking at four, five months post-op now," she told RTÉ Radio 1's The Ray D'Arcy Show.

"I went through all the early rehab where I had to keep my foot elevated 50 minutes of every hour. I'd ten minutes where I was able to toddle about and go to the toilet, but the rest of it I'd my foot elevated to keep the swelling down. There was a good few packets of Pringles ate and there was a lot of TV watched.

"When I was allowed I got back training. I had to let the wound completely heal over. Currently now I'm cross-training flat out, I'm training as normal as I can without being able to run.

"I'm not allowed to run just yet. I'm flying to Manchester tomorrow to meet my physio, Chris. He's been my physio for the past number of years. I'm hoping, fingers crossed, that Chris will tell me that I'll be able to run in the next few weeks. (The Worlds) is the big aim."

Mageean was at Tuesday's Lidl National Football League season launch as part of a panel to discuss new research spotlighting the importance of developing and elevating Irish female sporting role models.

In a separate interview with RTÉ Sport's Evanne Ní