Nike’s marathon gimmick just doesn’t do it for Irish star Hehir

Two-time Irish marathon champion Sean Hehir says he is far more inspired by legendary Clare hard-man Seamus Power than the Kenyan Olympic champion who took part in the recent bid to break the two-hour marathon barrier.

“It was interesting as a scientific experiment but does it personally inspire me? No! Let’s be honest, it was other-wordly,” said the man from Kilkishen who is hoping to win his third Irish title in the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon (which doubles up as the Irish championship) on October 29.

“Seamus Power was my role model growing up and still is,” Hehir insisted of the Kilmurry-Ibrickane mud-lark who famously won nine Irish inter-county cross-country titles on the trot as well as four Irish inter-club titles.