Ciara Mageean

No, don't grasp that one.

No, I won't get into that.

No, I wouldn't say by chance because, look, we have support structures around us.

To excel in the sport of athletics, there is an aspect of chance in the sense that you're not going to be a world-class athlete without being born with a certain amount of talent.

There is that aspect there.

But you need to nurture that talent.

And we're so fortunate in Ireland to have such amazing grassroots in our sport.

And I...

And I pay homage to them in my acknowledgements at the back because without those local coaches who actually aren't there in the glistening days of an Olympic Games.

But without them in all sports, we would not have our high performance athletes.

But I will acknowledge that it is tough in athletics.

In other sports, the pathway is a bit clearer.

You join a team and teams are sponsored and they have a rake of money and you move between all of that.

In athletics, we have our governing bodies.

If you reach a certain level, you get to have your grant and you get looked after there.

But I was at an Olympic Games talking to some of our golfers and they couldn't believe the sum of money that we earn in our sport.

You're not going to be a millionaire from athletics.

You're not going to be able to retire on the money that you earned.

And actually, most of my counterparts on the Olympic team had jobs.

Many of them were teachers.