Heffernan already eyeing road to Rio

After a handful of hints over the weekend, Ireland’s Rob Heffernan has confirmed his intention to line up for a fifth Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, as long as the necessary funding is available from the private and public sector.

The Cork race walker produced two of the standout athletics performances at the London Olympics with a ninth place finish in the 20k and an astounding fourth in the 50k, where his time would have won all but one of the gold medals in previous Games.

The 34-year-old returned home to Ireland yesterday along with his wife Marian, who competed in the 4x400m relay, and the pair will take a well-earned holiday with their children before Rob turns his focus to Brazil and “having a crack at winning” the World Championships in 2013.

“The 50k is after overshadowing my 20k performance which was very strong as well,” he said minutes after landing with the rest of Team Ireland.

“Considering I trained for the 50k, there’s not many people who would finish in the top 10 in the Olympics in the 20k and I got a ninth and [my] second-fastest time ever.

“I’ve gone as quick as I’ve ever gone over 3k this year too, so there are lots of positives. If funding and sponsorship is okay, I’ll plan another four years and go to Rio. Once I’m able to be competitive, and I clearly am, then why pack it in? I’m still just as motivated as I’ve ever been.”

Heffernan stated after his second event that he had demonstrated the ability of Irish athletes to compete with the world’s best as long as their structures were equally professional but his was a bittersweet achievement.

The old refrain that a fourth-placed finish is the most painful was written all over his face last weekend and that sense of disappointment was only heightened by yesterday’s official reception in Terminal 2.

“When you come home to an event like this you realise it’s all about medals,” he explained. “I was so near, but yet so far. I can’t complain though, I suppose. I did everything I could.”

The Togher AC athlete gave a controlled performance for much of the 50k before reeling off a world-record standard pace in the second half of the race.

“Yeah, I always felt in control. I had gone through the emotional side of things before the race and I had a plan that I was always going to stick to. It worked out, and my experience really stood to me.

“I didn’t get carried away for the first 30 or 35k which stood to me at the end and which was a massive boost. That’s why I took so much off my personal best and the crowd were brilliant too.”