Robert Heffernan finished a fighting fifth in the men’s 50km race walk in 3:44:17 in a brave bid to defend his world title at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, while Ireland’s men’s 4x400m relay team set a national record.

Olive Loughnane looks set to be upgraded to women's 20k walk world champion after the Russian Anti-doping Agency annulled the results of 2009 World Champion Olga Kaniskina.

Nothing was going to derail Robert Heffernan’s goal of winning the world 50km race walk title yesterday — not even his own team-mate knocking him down while driving behind him on a 40km walk at a high altitude training camp in Ifrane, Morocco back in April.

President Michael D Higgins said all of Ireland will share in celebrations as Rob Heffernan won a gold medal at the world championships in Moscow.

Rob Heffernan has joined the list of Irish sporting greats by claiming Ireland’s third ever gold medal at a World Athletics Championships, becoming only the fifth person in all to medal, by winning the men’s 50k walk in Moscow this morning.

Rob Heffernan has claimed Ireland's third ever gold medal at a World Athletics Championship, winning the men's 50k walk in Moscow this morning.

Olive Loughnane and Robert Heffernan can today lift spirits towards the end of what has been a poor games for Irish athletes.

Colin Griffin has boosted the Irish track and field team for the Olympic Games to 18 after sailing past the Olympic A standard to qualify for the 50k race walking at London 2012.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN got his preparations for London 2012 back on track at the IAAF Racewalking Challenge Final in La Coruna on Saturday, breaking his own national record for the 10k walk when finishing sixth behind the world and Olympic champion, Valeriy Borchin, in 39:19.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN ended a spectacular season on a high when finishing fifth at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final over 20k in Murcia yesterday

AFTER covering 50 kilometres in 4:15.16, it took Jamie Costin almost 90 minutes to cross the 200 or so yards from the Olympic finishing line to the interview zone.

WHEN Valeriy Borchin cruised past the leaders to win the Olympic 20km walk on Saturday, Ireland’s Robert Heffernan could only look on in amazement.

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.