Legendary walker advises Irish hopefuls
Robert Korzeniowski, who won both the 50k and 20k titles in Sydney, will be defending his 50k title in Athens but will be taking time out to advise Heffernan, who competes at 20k, and Costin, who competes in the 50k event.
Both of them returned to Ireland in midweek in advance of the Woodies DIY National Championships at Morton Stadium this week after spending a stint at altitude with world silver medallist Gillian O’Sullivan.
Both men trained with Korzeniowski’s group and, for Heffernan, it was a blessing because otherwise he might have been on the plane back to Ireland a short time into the training camp.
“The second week out there I got inflammation in my knee,” he said. “I thought that was it. I missed three days walking and I was ready to come home.
“Then Robert’s physiotherapist looked after me. Every day I had treatment - ice, laser, magnetic therapy to break down the inflammation and ultra sound treatment - I was getting treatment three times a day.
“Before the world cup I had the same injury and it lasted six weeks. This time I was right as rain again in a few days.”
Korzeniowski has been friendly with the Irish race walkers since they met up at a training camp in South Africa in 2001. Since then they have trained together on numerous occasions and this year he came to Ireland and spent a week in Munster training in Waterford with Costin and Heffernan and then spent a day in Cork before competing in the indoor championships in Belfast.
“He would not believe that Jamie actually milked cows on the family farm so he had to spend time there and, before he left, he too was milking cows,” said Heffernan.
While the focus is on Athens, the Cork athlete believes everything he does is building for the future and is thrilled to have Korzeniowski advising him. He was full of praise for the work performance director, Elaine Fitzgerald.
“She has done an excellent job. She keeps in constant contact with us and, if there are any problems or anything we need, she gets to work on it immediately,” he said. “I would like to think - and she agrees - that there is a much bigger picture and that everything we do now is build for next year and the next four years. In race walking terms we are very young.”
After a hard block of training at altitude in Font Romeau, he had his first speed session on Tuesday.
“I have done all the hard work and now it is all about improving speed and getting focused, although for something like the Olympic Games I don’t think anybody would have a problem getting focused,” he said.
“I would like to think that I am going out there with a chance of a place in the top 10. I would reckon right now there are about 15 of us at about the same level but then there are so many things that can happen on the day.”
Gillian O’Sullivan arrived home yesterday and she, too, will be among the star attractions at Morton Stadium where she set a world record two years ago.
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