It’s his final shot, and he knows it. Rob Heffernan may have an Olympic bronze medal to his name — at least that’s what the record books say — but he has yet to lay his hands on it.

Any day now, and Rob Heffernan should be able to call himself an Olympic medallist.

World champion walker Rob Heffernan has said he is “dreaming” amid reports that he may be upgraded to Olympic bronze following the doping scandal that has engulfed world athletics.

The Ireland athletics team manager fears the unfolding doping and corruption scandal may extend beyond Russia, who were accused yesterday of “sabotaging” the London Games.

Three years ago, he crossed the finish line at the London Olympics but the race hasn’t ended.

There was potentially good news for Robert Heffernan yesterday when the IAAF confirmed they have filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland against the decisions rendered by RUSADA in the cases of six Russian athletes which, if successful, would see the Corkman land Olympic bronze from London 2012.

Olive Loughnane looks set to be awarded the gold medal for the 20km race walk from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin after Russia’s Olga Kaniskina was yesterday banned by the Russian Anti-doping Agency for an anti-doping rule violation.

More than a month has passed since the European Championships in Zurich, but for World Champion walker Rob Heffernan, the memory of his withdrawal from the 50km final is still vivid and painful.

Robert Heffernan is in line to win a retrospective bronze medal in the 20km race walk from the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona after Russian Stanislav Emelyanov was found to have committed an anti-doping violation.

Robert Heffernan’s medal chances have been significantly enhanced with the withdrawal of Russian Olympic champion Sergey Kirdyapkin for this morning’s 50km race walk at the World Championships in Moscow and double 50km Olympian Colin Griffin believes the Corkman is on course for a treasured medal.

Laura Reynolds expressed extreme disappointment in finishing 31st in the women’s 20k walk at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

A miserable opening day for Ireland at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow saw the three in action on the track miss out of qualifying for their respective semi-finals, while Irish interest in the women’s marathon ended after eight kilometres.

Edna Kiplagat made history in becoming the first athlete to win back-to-back women’s marathon world titles in retaining her crown in Moscow this afternoon.

Mark English and Paul Robinson both bowed out of the 800m in the first round heats on the opening morning of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

Robert Heffernan has finished fourth in the 50km walk at the Olympics, knocking almost eight minutes of the previous national record.

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.

Ireland’s Robert Heffernan today set a new national record as he finished fourth for the second time in four days in the European Championships in Barcelona.

DAVID GILLICK emerged from the old Olympic Stadium in Berlin last night with his head held high, after finishing sixth in the final of the men’s 400m.

Irish athlete David Gillick has finished sixth in the final of the 400 Metres at the World Championships tonight.

Ireland’s 50k race walkers Jamie Costin and Colin Griffin were unable to finish the 50k race walk final at the World Championships this morning.