Ciara Mageean smashes Irish mile record in Monaco

Ciara Mageean obliterated Sonia O'Sullivan's longstanding Irish record over a mile at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday evening as the Portaferry star filled the runner-up berth behind the remarkable Faith Kipyegon, who set her third world record in the last two months.

Mageean clocked four minutes 14.58 seconds, with O'Sullivan's previous best 4:17.25.

However, Kipyegon proved peerless in the principality, recording a scarcely believable time of 4:07.64. Sifan Hassan had set the existing world record of 4:12.33 over the same track in 2019.

Kipyegon lowered both the 1500m and 5,000m world records in June.

Kristie Schoffield of the United States and Uganda's Winnie Nanyondo both failed to finish the mile event, but they executed their role as pacemakers with aplomb.

The perfect fractions meant all bar one of the other 13 competitors set personal best times. Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia was the odd woman out back in third, but even her time of 4:14.79 constituted a season's best effort.

Mageean, whose previous best time over the distance was 4:19.03, was one of four women in the field to set national records.

Her compatriot Rhasidat Adeleke finished fourth in the 400m after clocking 49.99 from lane five as Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek finished with a flourish to prevail in 49.63.

The Irish record holder made a huge move approaching the final bend and threatened to secure a podium place before flagging late on as Shamier Little of the United States secured second ahead of Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands.

Despite a sluggish start, Sarah Lavin sizzled to a time of 12.74 in the 100m hurdles as the Limerick athlete finished seventh behind former world champion Nia Ali.

Lavin's time was just one hundredth of a second off the