‘When you won all of us won,’ world champ Heffernan hears at reception

World champion walker Rob Heffernan has been celebrated in his home town for defying the odds and beating the Russians in their own backyard.

This summer he lit up the Irish athletics scene by winning gold in the 50km walk at the world championships in a discipline the host country of Russia would have been expected to dominated.

He is now back in training, with the Rio Olympics in his sights, but at the behest of Cork City Council he was able to round off his year by slowing the pace and watching others let their hair down in his honour.