Heffernan has spring in his step as Irish hope to get off to flyer in Berlin

IRISH team manager, Patsy McGonagle, is hoping Robert Heffernan can provide another inspirational performance in the 20k walk at the World Championships in Berlin today.

The tough Togher athlete finished eighth in last year’s Olympic equivalent in Beijing but it was in Osaka two years ago where he provided Irish athletes with the perfect start when he finished sixth behind the now-retired race walking legend, Jefferson Perez.

“That’s the type of start we will need again,” McGonagle said yesterday as the Irish athletes assembled at their base just half an hour’s drive from the historic Olympic Stadium.