‘Dazza’ Rob standing tall

Hundreds of people turned out in Togher, Cork City, as world champion walker Robert Heffernan was treated to another, more low-key homecoming last night.

After more than 2,000 people lined St Patrick St in the city on Friday night, this time it was the turn of the people of Togher to put on a bash for their very own World Champion.

Led by a pipe band, Rob was in a relaxed mood among the people he grew up with as he was paraded in an open-top car from the junction of Togher Rd and Edward Walsh St down to the local community centre.

Also in the parade were members of Togher Athletics Club, where Rob started the walking career that would lead him to becoming only Ireland’s third ever gold medallist at a World Championships.

At the community centre, he was introduced to a crowd of around 650 people by 96FM’s Trevor Welch and was joined onstage by his wife Marian and his two children Meghan and Cathal.

As usual, Rob’s wit didn’t take long to surface and he said being a walker in Russia made him even more of a hit than Usain Bolt.

“He was staying in our hotel, like,” said Rob.

“It was great because, in Russia, they love their walkers and walking is so big in Russia, I was getting more love than Usain Bolt in the hotel. It was great.

But they’re the same when you’re around them [Jamaican athletes]. They’re the same as me or you. You see them and they’re having the craic but when they have to work, they work.”

The gold medallist had words of encouragement for the children in the crowd who don’t always blossom at a young age, and mentioned the influence of old coaches, such as Togher AC’s John D Hayes, who Rob still refers to as “Mr Hayes”.

“Even when I came to the club when I was younger, I wasn’t making cross-country teams as I was very small and I didn’t shoot up to the massive height I am now.”

Rob, 35, now stands a full 5ft 7in.

“I developed very late but it didn’t matter, I was always trying to get better,” he said. “I was always trying to get better results and looking for things to improve on. If you keep doing that, you’ll be happy and you’ll get great satisfaction.

“You don’t have to win a World Championships or an Olympics but if you’re improving and keep trying to improve, it’s a good thing.”

As for plans, Rob said he had a few things to do around the house but would be back training as hard as ever on Oct 1.

Togher AC club secretary Aidan Hartnett said he hoped Rob’s success will inspire a new generation to take up athletics.

He said the club is discussing plans to send some of its top coaches on new coaching programmes next month to allow it take in younger members.

“It is hoped that the club will be in a position to offer places to kids from the ages of seven up in a few months,” he said.

“Rob has never forgotten his club, or where he came from. We are hoping that, with Rob’s success and his high profile, more people will come out to our club to see what we’re made of.”

Lord mayor Catherine Clancy summed up the party atmosphere in the suburb by paying one final tribute to Togher’s hero.

“When Rob was talking there, he said: ‘You know, I thought I looked decent when I was up on the television.’

“Well I just want to say to him, we have another Cork saying, to us he’s ‘me dazza’. And he always will be me dazza.”