POS ATHLETE COUNTRY MARK
1 Robert HEFFERNAN IRELAND IRL 3:37:56 WL
2 Mikhail RYZHOV RUSSIA RUS 3:38:58 PB
3 Jared TALLENT AUSTRALIA AUS 3:40:03 SB
4 Ihor HLAVAN UKRAINE UKR 3:40:39 PB
5 Matej TÓTH SLOVAK REPUBLIC SVK 3:41:07 SB
6 Grzegorz SUDOL POLAND POL 3:41:20 PB
7 Ivan NOSKOV RUSSIA RUS 3:41:36 PB
8 Lukasz NOWAK POLAND POL 3:43:38 SB
9 Takayuki TANII JAPAN JPN 3:44:26
10 Yohann DINIZ FRANCE FRA 3:45:18
By the way, if Rob had been just 3 seconds faster, he would have broken his own national record.
Race report from the IAAF...
Robert Heffernan cast aside a history of fourth-place finishes and broke a 30-year Irish men’s gold medal drought when he won the 50km Race Walk on Wednesday morning. The 35-year-old Irishman has finished one place outside the medals so often recently that he was given the nickname “Mr 4th” in one athletics publication. He was fourth in both the 20km and 50km walks at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona and again in the London Olympic 50km last year. Now, after coming out on top in a savage battle between 30km and 40km with Russia’s Mikhail Ryzhov, Heffernan has become “Mr Gold Medal”, and done so against some of the strongest opposition in the current home nation of race walking.
It is 30 years since Ireland won a men’s gold medal at the World Championships, 30 years indeed since it won a men’s medal of any colour. The last was when Eamonn Coghlan burst off the final bend to win the 5000m at the first World championships in Helsinki in 1983. The date – 14 August – the same date as the Moscow 50km Race Walk. Back then, Coghlan was able to pump his fists in celebration even before he had passed Soviet runner Dmitriy Dmitriyev. He knew he was going to win. In an even further coincidence, Coghlan was a well-known fourth-place finisher himself, having finished in that place behind John Walker in the 1976 Olympic 1500m final and again behind Miruts Yifter in the 1980 Olympic 5000m final.
Heffernan, too, could have celebrated before the end of his race. He virtually won the gold medal when he broke clear of Ryzhov coming up to the 40km mark. That surge was the culmination of a series of surges over the previous 10km as both men swapped the lead. Poland’s Grzgorz Sudol had led narrowly at 30km with Heffernan, Ryzhov and Ivan Noskov of Russia in close attendance. But soon afterwards it was a race in two between the Irishman and Ryzhov with the others dropping back. Ryzhov made what appeared to be his big effort at 35km and succeeded in putting some 10 metres between him and Heffernan. But the Irish walker had soon clawed his way back up and re-taken the lead. Similarly, Heffernan enjoyed a few mini-breaks as the pair fought back-and-forth.
The race had started in humid conditions after overnight rain. While the temperature remained moderate, the humidity also remained high throughout, making for trying conditions.
Video of Rob winning Gold...
Heffernan take Gold for Ireland...Daily Sport
Post race interview from the IAAF....
Highlights of the race from the Irish Times...
Interview of RTE Sport...
Post race interview with RTE radio...
Post race with Will Downing...
Brendan Boyce finishes 25th in a new personal best time...
25 Brendan BOYCE IRELAND IRL 3:54:24 PB
17 comments:
Well done Rob, its great to see someone so dedicated to his sport finally get his just rewards. And what a nice fella to boot.
Probably none of us reading this hasn't had a word of encouragement from him at some stage in the many races around the county.
Delighted for him and his family.
What a great day for Irish athletics.There is no one more deserving of a medal.
Danny Mc Carthy
Well done Rob, noone deserves it more than that man! Has dedicated his life to it day in day out and finally got his reward!
A brillant performance and result for Rob. There's hardly a more deserving athlete out there. It's a just reward for the many, many sacrifices Rob has made for his sport and the extraordinary training regime that he puts himself through. A big well done also to his coach for many years, a local man also, Liam O'Reilly. And to do it all in the Russians' back yard, says it all about the man. Simply brilliant.
Some Operator. Well done to rob and all his backroom team. Well deserved and enjoy the celebrations.
No one deserves it more. Well done. Fantastic for Rob and his family and coach. Nice guys can come first.
Delighted for Rob and all his family and support team. A great victory. Well Rob from across the border here in Kerry. Michael O' Connor Farranfore Maine Valley AC
Fantastic day for Rob, Cork and Irish athletics.
Well done Rob, what great achievement.
well done rob - unbelievable performance form such a nice guy - nobody deserves it more for so many reasons
fantastic brilliant! well done rob!! lump in throat as he came down last 100m, such a nice nnice guy pure gent, has time for everyone, no one deserves it more, top top athlete , what a sight to see a green singlet leading the worlds best home, and to beat russians in their own backyard as well! pure class.
Epic result for both himself & Ireland! Well deserved & couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Just watching the win their again. Fantastic achievement, to Rob his family and his coach. Enjoy the next few days and no doubt we will be there in Cork to welcome you home.
Congrats to Rob & his wife / coach, Marian. It'samazing what a change of coach can achieve in many sports.
Well done Rob, my daughters saw me shed a tear today,
very proud of you our World champion, what a performance, hope to shake your hand some day in Cork.
Very best wishes Keith.
and the world champion is rob heffernan from togher ac cork ireland, pure magic! also shed a tear or two as well.
Fair play to ye boy! a just reward for many years of sacrifice and dedication to athletics for by you and your wife, remember Marian competed in the 2012 Olympics as a member of the Irish 4 x 400 team. Also it proves that you can still become a world champion by remaining loyal to your small local club, lets hope Cork will give due recognition to a true gentleman of the sport.
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