Irish walkers head to Spain as focus turns to Beijing

ROBERT HEFFERNAN and Olive Loughnane will compete in the Gran Permio de La Coruna in Spain at the weekend - both with Beijing on their minds.

After performances at the World Cup of Racewalking in Russia which were nothing short of sensational they have finally turned their attention to the Olympic Games for which Ireland has four racewalkers qualified - 50k specialists Jamie Costin and Colin Griffin the other two.

Olive Loughnane is already into her final training programme for the Games and as she is now in the middle of a block of heavy training her participation in the La Coruna showpiece will be of an exploratory nature.

"Really I am still learning the game at this level," she said. "Russia was a great experience and walking 89.17 secs for 20k was a huge pb which, combined with the fact that I finished sixth in what was such a competitive race, was great for my confidence.

"But there are times when you are inclined to look too far ahead instead of being totally focused on what you are doing on the day. I have been working on this with sports psychologist Canice Kennedy in recent weeks."

Psychology is also part of Robert Heffernan's preparations and he has been working with Phil Moore. Unlike Olive Loughnane he has raced since becoming the first Irishman to break 80 mins at the World Cup and that was on Sunday week in Krakow where he was fifth in 80:30 - another world class performance.

"This race on Saturday will be the end of the penultimate phase of my training for the Olympics," he said. "I will begin a new phase next week."

He is still excited about his performance in the World Cup - reflecting on how he almost did not go at all.

"I came off altitude training feeling pretty low. It was tough up there because I was sick but - looking back - it was good. Then the race was just brilliant."

For Beijing he intends to have his own team around him. Ray Flynn who looks after his coaching in Ireland will be with him. He will bring along his own physiotherapist and his fiance, Marion Andrews, will also travel although, if things go according to plan she, too, could be competing in the Olympics as she travels to Turin this weekend on the Irish 4 x 400m relay team chasing qualification.

Brona Furlong from Wexford and herself were first and second in a 400m race in Bedford last weekend and, with Irish record holder Joanne Cuddihy absent through injury, this pair will be joined by former record holder, Karen Shinkins, and 400m hurdles specialist, Michelle Carey, in Turin.

Schoolboy sensation Brian Gregan will travel to Belgium as a reserve when David Gillick, Paul McKee, Brian Doyle and Gordon Kennedy begin their quest for Olympic qualification the following week. Team manager, Patsy McGonagle, has arranged for him to compete in the individual 400m if he does not take part in the 4 x 400m relay.

Paul Hession joins the galaxy of stars for the Bislett Golden League meeting in Oslo tomorrow night where he will be hoping to build on his winning performance in the 100m at Malmo on Tuesday night.

This time he will line up in the 200m. "I am looking forward to it," he said. "There is a very strong field and from that point of view it is exciting."