Repeat of Beijing is goal for Hession

Four years ago in Beijing Paul Hession turned in a stunning performance to win his second round heat and qualify for the semi-finals of the 200m at the Olympic Games.

For the Athenry sprinter, who had finished third in his first round heat, it was the biggest night of his career.

In the second round — he won the race in 20.32 seconds — he had Wallace Spearmon and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure behind him.

His semi-final brought him up against Walter Dix, Brian Dzingai, Churandy Martini, Christian Malcolm and Jared Connaughton and he failed by the smallest margin to make fourth place and the final, with the first four going through automatically. In fact, his time for fifth place was faster than some of the qualifiers from the other semi-final.

Hession appeared to be on the rise at that time but he failed to realise his potential after that and was disappointed when he failed to medal at the European Championships in Barcelona two years later.

He qualified for London 2012 at the national championships last year but has struggled to find his best form, although he displayed flashes of it at the European Championships in Helsinki in June when he again made the final of the 200m.

Today (12.14pm) he gets his second shot at the Olympics when he lines up for the first round heats of the men’s 200m and, with the first three and three fastest losers to go through to tomorrow’s semi-finals, he faces an enormous task.

He gets a prime lane six however, but for company he has the world 100m champion and Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake (Jamaica) in outside him and his old sparring partner Saidy Ndure of Norway out in lane eight.

In the two lanes inside him Bruno de Barros (Brazil) has run 20.37 this season while Zhenye Xie (China) posted a personal best of 20.54 this season, which equals Hession’s seasonal best.

“Okay, it’s a tough heat for him but he can still get through, as in automatic,” Irish team manager Patsy McGonagle said.

“His coach, John Coghlan, came over at the weekend and they did some sessions out at the training track and he appears to be in very good form, resting up and ready to go. It is a matter of wait and see now.”

Fionnuala Britton, following her 10,000m exploits on Friday night, returns to the track this morning for the women’s 5,000m and goes in the first of two heats (10.55am), with the first five in each along with the five fastest losers going through to Friday’s final (8.05pm),

“Fionnuala has recovered very well from the 10,000m,” McGonagle said.

“She went back to the holding camp immediately after the race and has been preparing there.

“She arrived back at the athletes’ village this afternoon.

“If she performs to her best she should go through to the final but you never know how those races develop. She has been running aggressively in all her races this year and that will stand to her in this company.”