Impressive Pollock turns focus to Rio

Paul Pollock produced a mature performance to finish 21st and second fastest European in a new personal best of 2:16:42 in the marathon at the World Track and Field Championship in Moscow on Saturday.

In truth, the Irish athletics team performed below par overall, apart from Robert Heffernan’s gold and personal best performances for Brendan Boyce finishing 25th in the 50km race walk in 3:54:24, coached by Robert Heffernan, and Pollock’s stellar display (2:16:42) in the marathon won by Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda in 2:09:51.

Pollock, who has worked 80 hour plus weeks this year as a junior doctor, is going to focus solely on athletics in the build-up to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.