China won their first gold medal of their home World Athletics Championships by sweeping a 1-2 finish in the women’s 20k walk in Beijing.

IRELAND’S hopes of a medal at the world championships in Daegu suffered a major blow yesterday when Olive Loughnane failed to replicate her silver medal performance in Berlin two years ago in the women’s 20k walk.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN ended up ninth in the IAAF Racewalking Challenge — the Grand Prix of Race walking — following what has been a sensational year for the Cork athlete.

Ireland's Olive Loughnane has failed to complete the women’s 20km walk in Athens.

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN has predicted that tomorrow’s world cup race will answer a lot of questions as the build up to the Olympic Games in Athens enters a new phase.