Ciara Mageean has hit back at the critics who have questioned her impressive rise in 2022, adding that she finds the scrutiny "a bit insulting".
The Portaferry runner recently beat Sonia O'Sullivan's national 1500m record en route to beating a high-class field at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels.
She followed it up with another big performance to claim silver in Zurich the following week.
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While the vast majority of Irish people's responses to Mageean's improved performances have been comprised of pride and delight at seeing one of Ireland's most humble athletes fulfil her potential, there have been a few pessimistic reactions in amongst the sea of congratulations.
Some have even made unfounded accusations that she may be doping having shed four seconds off her previous best 1500m time in eclipsing O'Sullivan's record earlier this month.
Mageean has now responded to those online critics while speaking to The Irish Examiner.
The 30-year-old explained that this recent string of criticism doesn't really bother her too much as it has come from people who don't follow athletics closely year-round.
She explained that those who are passionate about the sport understand that she had a brilliant pedigree as a junior having won a world silver medal at that age group, reports the Irish Mirror.
In addition to that, those people in the know would also be more aware of the physical injuries that have hampered her training and by extension race capabilities for prolonged periods as well as the mental block she had to overcome which did prevent her from consistently performing at or near her best.
With regard to that aspect of her recent improvement, she credited her new coach Helen Clitheroe for helping her to conquer any mental barriers that still lingered around race day.
These improvements to her make-up have seen her take silver at the European Championships as well as finish as runner-up in the Diamond League final which boasted a world-class field.
But when it came to addressing the naysayers who continue to insist there must be more behind her quicker times, she acknowledged it can get slightly under her skin.
However, it's not something she gets overly hung up on either.
She said: “I find it a bit frustrating, a bit insulting, a bit annoying, but look, f**k it, it is what it is. I know I’m clean.
"Through (Sport Ireland) I’ve been tested since I was 17. I’m on whereabouts since I was 17.
"I’ve a very long line of tests and my blood passport is very thorough so I know it to be true.
"It’s another thing as a clean athlete: I always welcome the people coming to test me. When they come I say, ‘Thank you so much, you’re doing me a service'."
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