Ciara Mageean will arrive in Paris with some “unfinished business” to take care of at the Olympics.
The Portaferry athlete missed out on selection for London 12 years ago and in Rio in 2016 she failed to reach the final.
On the eve of the Tokyo Games three years ago, Mageean suffered the heartbreak of a calf injury that contributed to her elimination in the heats.
Since 2021 however, Mageean has put together the best three seasons of her career.
Commonwealth Games and European silver medals followed in 2022 as well as a first Diamond League victory.
National records at 800m, 1,000m, 1500m and the mile fell to Mageean, who also finished fourth at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
Then in June she claimed the European 1500m gold medal in Rome, a first major championship title.
Now Mageean has a third crack at the Olympics.
“I try to keep it somewhat contained because you could get a little too heightened and carried away with the thoughts of being too far in the future,” she said.
“There’s certain paths and steps I have to take to be in my best shape there.
“But don’t get me wrong, whenever there’s training sessions that I’m finding particularly tough, there’s a little bit in my head that says Olympic Games, Olympic Games, Olympic Games.
“There’s a reason I’m doing this. The Olympics holds a special place in the world of sport. It happens once every four years. World Championships are just as competitive, if not more competitive in some aspects.
“But the Olympics has that special hold on all of us. This will be my third Olympic Games. I feel I’ve unfinished business at it.”