Race walker Heffernan back on top

AFTER turning in world class performances over 10k and 5k in previous weeks, Robert Heffernan transferred the form to the classic distance in Copenhagen on Saturday when he won the Scandinavian 20k race walking championship in 82 mins 24 secs to post the “A” standard for next year’s world championships.

The fact that he can forget about standards and get down to preparing for the world championships was a bonus. The target was to get himself back on a Sports Council Grants after a frustrating year of injuries that required two operations just to get him walking again.

“I was under savage pressure,” he admitted back home in Cork yesterday. “I had to get the A standard or I was off the grants. Training at this level just has to be a full-time occupation.

“Now I can start preparing for next year and, down the road, the Olympics in Beijing, knowing that I don’t have to worry about my financial situation.”

Last year, his career suffered a major blow when he found he could not walk any more. Various tests left him frustrated and he was beginning to wonder if he could ever compete again.

His problem was eventually diagnosed as a hernia and he had surgery.

But the pain persisted — switching to the other side — and he ended up having a second operation for a bilateral hernia.

“After three months of solid training, my body is perfect going into a new year,” he said. “This time last year I could not even walk. Right now I feel I am back to where I was and still making progress.”

He got himself together quickly and went to Krakow for the 10k race. He finished third behind the world leader and the Olympic champion after setting a pace that destroyed the remainder of the field. After that he had a 5k in Spain and that was also very encouraging.

“Then I knew I had to find a 20k race to go for it and the only one around was the Scandinavian championships. It turned out to be ideal. There was a big crowd, a good atmosphere and the course was good.

“After 100m I was on my own but I knew it was always going to be something of a time trial.

“Before the race I was a bit anxious so I was making a conscious effort to relax and that is why I was surprised when I did the first kilometre in 4:06. I could not relax any more. I already felt relaxed.

“My 5k splits were 20:28, 20:32, 20:33 and my last 5k was 20:50 as I consciously pulled back because I knew the time was brilliant.”

Adding to the excitement, compatriot Jamie Costin finished second in 86:40 to highlight his continued progression after the horrific accident on the eve of the Athens Olympics that almost ended his career.