Stroll in the Park as Heffernan smashes national 30k record

ROBERT HEFFERNAN got 2011 off to a record breaking start on his home turf when he smashed the national 30k walk record with a sizzling 2:07.48 in the Woodies DIY national walk championships around the Monahan Road/Centre Park Road circuit in Cork yesterday.

The Togher man — who came away from last year’s European championships in Barcelona with fourth places in both the 20k and 50k walks, was in scintillating form as he left former 50k record holder, Colin Griffin (Ballinamore AC), trailing in his wake. By halfway, Griffin and former international, Jeff Cassin, were out of touch.

It was a record that Heffernan had set at 2:08.59 back in 2000 in the course of one of the fastest 35k races ever when en route to the Sydney Olympics.