Loughnane and Heffernan lead classy Grand Prix field

OLYMPIANS Olive Loughnane and Robert Heffernan will be the star attractions at the Dublin Grand Prix of Race Walking in the Phoenix Park today (11am).

Heffernan faces Olympic 50km gold medallist Alex Schwazer of Italy while Loughnane’s main opposition comes from another Italian, Elisa Riguado, who won bronze in the 20km in China last year – 30 seconds ahead of the Cork-based Galway walker.

Also included in the line-up for the women’s 20km walk is Susana Feitor (Portugal) who finished fifth at the world championships in Osaka in 2007, Dublin-based Slovakian record holder, Zuzana Malikova, along with competitors from Mexico, Guatemala, Sweden, Hungary, Portugal and Brazil.