CIAN ’ S VOICE
4 MINS 30 SECONDS
Cian ’ s Voice
We all start somewhere .
Standing on the start line of the 2024 Olympic Marathon , I felt at peace , excited and ready to give it everything I had . It was a long journey to get here , but I was as ready as I could be . Doing what was yet to be the biggest race of my career so far , made me proud , overcoming boundaries while still doing what I love . I grew up chasing this dream , so let ’ s start at the very beginning - my very first start line .
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My schooling journey started in Johannesburg at Bryandale Primary School . Picture me , the tiniest little kid . I didn ’ t have much to me except for some long brown hair and scrawny little arms and legs . The second shortest in my class . Although I could be a little shy and possibly a bit of an oddball , I carried a big smile . Being the youngest of siblings , I was very excited to finally be in big school too . Big school , little kid and ready to see what life was all about .
Every year , the school hosted an annual ‘ Fun Run ’ which consisted of a 2-3km run that started in the school , went out to a nearby wetland , looped through it and back . The whole school was involved , it was my first big school run , and the excitement was at fever pitch . I have no idea where I came , but that was hardly the point .
Fast forward a year to Grade Two , and little me flying across the finish line in first place . It was here that my love for running , and winning , began . A little obsessive from the start , when my mom told me I would be missing the fun run the following year because we were driving to Durban for a family holiday , I said , “ No !” Even when it came to the choice of having a beach holiday or the race , I chose the race much to her surprise . Since then , running has always been a priority for me .
With my running ability in full swing , I joined the school cross-country team . The coach , Miss Lily , who had been my Grade One teacher , was so enthusiastic . She is one of those