Joy for Ireland as Heffernan scuppers Russian walk sweep
Print Edition
Guts, guile and no lack of self-belief propelled Irishman Robert Heffernan to 50-kilometer race walk victory yesterday, spoiling the Russian party one day after Yelena Isinbayeva’s celebrated pole vault triumph.
The Luzhniki Stadium, as it has been on every morning of the world championships, was short on fans — in contrast to the previous evening when the stands rocked with appreciation after the Isinbayeva show.
While the Russian enjoyed the cheers of a nation, the 35-year-old Heffernan had the one supporter who mattered most as he scooped Ireland’s first world gold in 18 years.
“My wife is here with me and we are so happy,” he said with understatement after denying Russia a clean sweep of the walks as the host took gold in both 20km events earlier.
The walk began shortly after an early-morning storm and finished in warm sunshine 3 hours, 37 minutes, 56 seconds later, the time it took Heffernan to cover the distance. He was fourth at last year’s Olympics. Mikhail Ryzhov of Russia took silver, 1:02 behind, and Jared Tallent of Australia, silver medalist at the past two Olympics, settled for bronze, 2:07 back.
With no evening session yesterday as the nine-day championships take a breather, the walk and a handful of qualifying represented thin fare.
Two long-jump champions at opposite ends of their careers experienced contrasting fortunes, with Briton’s Olympic winner Greg Rutherford failing to reach the final and ‘golden oldie’ Dwight Phillips continuing his dream of a last hurrah.
Rutherford declared himself fit at the last minute for the championships after suffering a hamstring tear five weeks ago, but his best of 7.81 meters yesterday fell short. “I just didn’t have what it took out there today. Believe me, I gave everything,” the 26-year-old said.
American Phillips, 35, postponed his retirement for a year to try and become the first US athlete to win five individual world championship titles in the same event. “Today my body felt great. Once you are in the final anything can happen,” Phillips, world champion in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2011, said after a season’s best effort of 7.95.
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