Heffernan: how do you compete with a finish like that?
The 22-year-old Russian — he was only 19 when he got a 12 month ban for a doping offence in 2005 — had made just two serious moves to the front of the race.
He made the first one after 14kms and then at 15kms before going on to leave the three-time world champion and 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Jefferson Perez (Ecuador) for dead.
“His last 5kms was faster than my Irish record (18:59.37),” the 30-year-old Corkman said. “When they go past you like that and you are giving it everything then something’s not right. How do you compete with that?
“He tested positive for drugs before and four of his training group are gone.”
Heffernan was struggling with his feelings as he soaked up the atmosphere in the mixed zone after finishing eighth in the race — just two places short of Jimmy McDonald’s position in Barcelona in 1992.
His time at 1:20.36 was his third fastest ever and 1:35 behind Borchin’s winning time of 1:19.01. Yet he had difficulty absorbing the significance of the achievement.
At half way (40:42) he was third behind his training partner, Francisco Ferndandez (Spain) and defending champion, Ivano Brugnetti (Italy) who were locked in a ferocious battle with Borchin tucked in discreetly in the nine-man lead group.
He covered the move when the group was split, moved back up to the front and then took the lead.
“I tried to zone out for the first 10kms,” he said. “I could sense that it was going to pick up and then we would start racing. I got to 12kms, took my drink at 13kms and it was then I actually found myself in the lead and I threw in a 7:51 lap (2kms).
“I said this is great, I feel really strong — I think I can keep going here and who knows I might pull away — but the group was still together and I wasn’t making huge inroads.
“Taking everything into account, to finish top eight in the Olympic games is great but I have mixed emotions. I would have liked to have been a little bit closer at the end but it’s good, it’s brilliant, it’s the Olympics!
“I can’t say that I didn’t give it my all because I did. But I needed that bit extra to win a medal and I did not have — hopefully I am getting there.”
He said he did not find the conditions a problem — the strongest athletes would always come through no matter what the conditions were.
“Like I said, I have mixed emotions about it. I thought I had a chance of winning a medal. But I was just missing that little fraction — the good thing is that last year I died in the last 4kms in Osaka and I was still able to fight all the way to the line here. I passed a fellow at 18kms. I just needed that little percentage.”
The closing stages saw Borchin wipe out Perez and Jared Tallent (Australia), who covered all the moves except the one when Borchin swept through, taking the bronze medal.
Defending champion Brugnetti had to be content with fifth place and ‘Paco’ Fernandez, silver medallist in Athens, ended up seventh, just ahead of Heffernan.
“I have to look at the positives,” Heffernan said. “It was probably the most competitive race I have been in and then the Mexican Eder Sanchez and Erik Tysse from Norway who mangled me earlier in the year, were a long way behind.
“It’s just that I am a little disappointed I did not go with the group but nothing fazes me now. I belong here. Eighth in the Olympics — it’s good, it’s brilliant.”
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