Heffernan gets Olympic training off to flying start

ROBERT Heffernan got his build up to next year’s Olympic Games off to a flying start in Barcelona yesterday when he finished sixth in a 10k event that featured all but one of the world’s top 10 racewalkers.

The race was won by his training partner, Francisco “Paco” Fernandez, in 39:25. The Spaniard was silver medallist at the last Olympics and again at the world championships in Osaka when the Corkman finished sixth. He has a best time of 37:52 for the distance.

Heffernan, who is embarking on his build up to next summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing, repeated his world championship placing — albeit at 10k — in 40:30. With his national record at 38:47 he was thrilled with the performance in a field that included the Olympic champion, Ivano Brugnetti.