Heffernan: how do you compete with a finish like that?

WHEN Valeriy Borchin cruised past the leaders to win the Olympic 20km walk on Saturday, Ireland’s Robert Heffernan could only look on in amazement.

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.