Robert Heffernan was a frustrated figure after his ninth place finish in 1:23:26 over 20km at the European Cup of Race Walking in Dudince, Slovakia yesterday as he took a heavy fall at 12km when in contention.

Paula Radcliffe has delayed making a decision on when she will return to competitive racing until she knows how well her foot has recovered from surgery.

EILEEN O’KEEFFE faces the most exciting assignment of her athletics career to date when she contests the final of the women’s hammer competition at the world championships in Osaka today (1.30pm Irish time).

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN returns home on Saturday with her silver medal from the women’s 20k walk at the World championships and is looking forward to a well earned holiday.

EVEN in summer the road from Perpignan and the Med to the snowless, out of season ski resort of Font Romeu ranks as a long, hard slog.