Ciara Mageean paid an emotional tribute to her former coach Jerry Kiernan on Friday night's Late Late Show.
The Co Down runner sat down with Patrick Kielty to discuss her career and was visibly emotional when speaking about Kiernan, who passed away in January 2021.
Mageean says it was much harder leaving Kiernan, who won the Dublin Marathon twice, than it was moving from Ireland to Manchester.
READ MORE: RTE viewers full of praise for Ciara Mageean after appearance on The Late Late Show
She said: "Hands down it was harder leaving Jerry. You're on to something now because I always cry when I speak about Jerry.
"For me to leave the set up here in Dublin and go and train professionally in Manchester was something I couldn't pass up.
"But leaving Jerry Kieran as my coach was the hardest thing I'd ever done because I left my boyfriend Thomas in Dublin but I was more cut-up about leaving Jerry.
"Yeah, that was really tough, and then when I was in Manchester getting the news of Jerry's death - myself and Thomas.
"He was also coached by Jerry, too, that hit us really hard - and it hit many people really hard."
She added: "A lovely gentleman sent me a picture of Jerry before I raced in the World Championships. It hit me a little close to home but I know he's up there with the best seat in the house.
"I'm pretty sure he'll be proud of the little prodigy he took on. He though me so much about athletics but more about being the person you want to be.
"And I'm so grateful to have had Jerry Kiernan in my life."
Mageean will be hoping to go close to winning a medal at next year's Olympics after finishing just outside the podium places in the 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships last month.
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