Rob Heffernan to get Olympic Bronze

chrislad

http://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2016/0324/777122-heffernan-set-to-receive-olympic-bronze/

Great for him, and happy to see a cheater being punished.

Skid X

Great news for Rob, better late than never.

Also, remember this the next time anyone claims fourth place is the worst position to finish!

Chivito550

Delighted with this. This is only our 7th Olympic medal in athletics since we first competed as an independent nation in 1924. A couple others have been stolen by cheats but it's nice to get one back.

I'd love to see a proper medal presentation with RTE cameras etc. Before Rio would be too distracting to Rob in his Olympic preparations, but surely the homecoming after Rio would be the perfect time to present him his medal, with the whole nation watching?

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

Delighted with this. This is only our 7th Olympic medal in athletics since we first competed as an independent nation in 1924. A couple others have been stolen by cheats but it's nice to get one back.

I'd love to see a proper medal presentation with RTE cameras etc. Before Rio would be too distracting to Rob in his Olympic preparations, but surely the homecoming after Rio would be the perfect time to present him his medal, with the whole nation watching?

I doubt you get the whole nation watching or even 25%, wouldn't be that much interest in it sadly

Chivito550

average_runner wrote: »

I doubt you get the whole nation watching or even 25%, wouldn't be that much interest in it sadly

If it is part of the homecoming of the Rio Olympic team then you will get a large audience. Remember the homecoming live on RTE after London, with Katie Taylor leading the way?

walshb

Yes. That would be an ideal setting with Taylor coming home with her second gold, and hopefully some more sports people getting medals. Rob deserves some recognition here in an official capacity.

Skid X

Also reported today that Olive Loughnane will have her Silver from the 20K walk at the 2009 World Championships upgraded to Gold.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/35890987

Kristopherus

Skid X wrote: »

Also reported today that Olive Loughnane will have her Silver from the 20K walk at the 2009 World Championships upgraded to Gold.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/35890987

Fantastic news. Delighted for both of them. IMHO cheaters are just low-life scumbags.

Itziger

runnter wrote: »

Paco will be delighted anyway

You've started so you might as well finish.

dna_leri

Why not present it in Rio with the 2016 walks medals?
It will not happen but it should.

mansize

dna_leri wrote: »

Why not present it in Rio with the 2016 walks medals?
It will not happen but it should.

It would be embarrassing for the IOC, etc... imagine all the extra medals...

Sandwell

Kristopherus wrote: »

Fantastic news. Delighted for both of them. IMHO cheaters are just low-life scumbags.

It's a shame Rob doesn't agree with you, judging by his choice of training partner.

average_runner

Sandwell wrote: »

It's a shame Rob doesn't agree with you, judging by his choice of training partner.

You would really wonder why he picked him. Not someone you would want in your camp to be honest

walshb

What has the AR resident drugs tsar, Chivito550 to say about it considering he has no issue slating (or being quite skeptical of) others who mix with drugs cheats?

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

What has the AR resident drugs tsar, Chivito550 to say about it considering he has no issue slating (or being quite skeptical of) others who mix with drugs cheats?

It is important for the relationship between the two of them to be fully understood. My understanding is that he is not a training partner (he was in the past years ago) nor is he a coach, and never has been a coach. It’s obvious they are friends going way back, who gives a bit of advice here and there, and who do the odd walk together (along with the other Irish racewalkers) when in the same place. All the Irish racewalkers are seen with him the odd time in photos on twitter, not just Rob, and there doesn’t appear to be anything secretive. That’s my understanding, but if somebody knows better and can clarify further then that would be good.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/mcgonagle-heffernanpaco-is-in-the-past-201292.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/heffernan-hits-out-at-claims-fernandez-training-irish-walkers-200783.html

Like the use of the term Tsar there. Very clever, apt and topical.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

It is important for the relationship between the two of them to be fully understood. My understanding is that he is not a training partner (he was in the past years ago) nor is he a coach, and never has been a coach. It’s obvious they are friends going way back, who gives a bit of advice here and there, and who do the odd walk together (along with the other Irish racewalkers) when in the same place. All the Irish racewalkers are seen with him the odd time in photos on twitter, not just Rob, and there doesn’t appear to be anything secretive. That’s my understanding, but if somebody knows better and can clarify further then that would be good.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/mcgonagle-heffernanpaco-is-in-the-past-201292.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/heffernan-hits-out-at-claims-fernandez-training-irish-walkers-200783.html

Like the use of the term Tsar there. Very clever, apt and topical.

Personally I don't think its a good thing that Irish walkers are seen with this guy, the same way it wasn't good for Mo Farah to be seen with the cheat from Morocco when he was training.

But also if they are friends, friends will stick with friends no matter what, as thats what good friends do.

morceli

average_runner wrote: »

Personally I don't think its a good thing that Irish walkers are seen with this guy, the same way it wasn't good for Mo Farah to be seen with the cheat from Morocco when he was training.

But also if they are friends, friends will stick with friends no matter what, as thats what good friends do.

Yep its a pity rob has a long stating link with drug cheats going back to 2008, prob should not have been training with them the week the new broke it just doesn't look good. If it was any other person we would all be jumping on this.

walshb

average_runner wrote: »

Personally I don't think its a good thing that Irish walkers are seen with this guy, the same way it wasn't good for Mo Farah to be seen with the cheat from Morocco when he was training.

But also if they are friends, friends will stick with friends no matter what, as thats what good friends do.

No issue there once we apply the thinking equally to all.

Chivito550

average_runner wrote: »

Personally I don't think its a good thing that Irish walkers are seen with this guy, the same way it wasn't good for Mo Farah to be seen with the cheat from Morocco when he was training.

But also if they are friends, friends will stick with friends no matter what, as thats what good friends do.

If it’s just a casual sort of relationship, which involves the whole squad and is out in the open, then I don’t see it as anything to worry about, though I do see your point.

If Justin Gatlin offered me sprinting pointers I’d definitely take them, as much as I dislike him!

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

If it’s just a casual sort of relationship, which involves the whole squad and is out in the open, then I don’t see it as anything to worry about, though I do see your point.

If Justin Gatlin offered me sprinting pointers I’d definitely take them, as much as I dislike him!

He might have something else to offer you also:D

morceli

Chivito550 wrote: »

If Justin Gatlin offered me sprinting pointers I’d definitely take them, as much as I dislike him!

Thats the who problem with the dam sport, if the Athletes don't really care if they train with drug cheats, wonder why that is?

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

No issue there once we apply the thinking equally to all.

Yeh I’d agree. Just not all cases are equal. If somebody is paying a well known doping doctor for his services, that is hardly the same as somebody catching up with a friend who was a drug cheat for the odd training session. Suppose in a perfect world one should cut all ties to drug cheats, but do you cut friends out of your life like that?

A good example would be Allyson Felix. She is considered by pretty much everyone to be a pure clean sprinter (a view I would hold). She is coached by Bob Kersee, husband of Jackie Joyner Kersee, with family ties to Al Joyner and thus Flojo. That could be interpreted as dodgey by some. But it is a vague enough connection, and hardly the same as somebody actively engaging with a known dirty doctor.

Gavlor

Chivito550 wrote: »

If it is part of the homecoming of the Rio Olympic team then you will get a large audience. Remember the homecoming live on RTE after London, with Katie Taylor leading the way?

This is exactly when it should happen. Give him a moment to savour. As he has said previously though, it's a bit bitter sweet due to the loss of earnings that he could have made from appearance fees, endorsements, sponsorship etc as an Olympic medalist.
We are fortunate to have a saturated boxing list of honours in recent years but distance events have caught the publics imagination and he could have really cashed in.

walshb

Rob keeping it classy: "I'm just fu&€/ng delighted. I'm just fu€&@ng delighted."

average_runner

walshb wrote: »

Rob keeping it classy: "I'm just fu&€/ng delighted. I'm just fu€&@ng delighted."

At least it didn't go to his head:)

Teebor15

I'm not Trolling here but I just think "Walking" is a ridiculous sport. Genuine question..why does someone choose it instead of running?

You have to admit they look hilarious waddling along with big serious heads on them, looking like they're bursting for a sh*te!

average_runner

Teebor15 wrote: »

I'm not Trolling here but I just think "Walking" is a ridiculous sport. Genuine question..why does someone choose it instead of running?

You have to admit they look hilarious waddling along with big serious heads on them, looking like they're bursting for a sh*te!

Actually seen funnier running styles

Krusty_Clown

Teebor15 wrote: »

I'm not Trolling here but I just think "Walking" is a ridiculous sport. Genuine question..why does someone choose it instead of running?

You have to admit they look hilarious waddling along with big serious heads on them, looking like they're bursting for a sh*te!

Personally, I've always favoured those Olympic events that have their roots in activities that come naturally to human activity, so running, jumping, throwing, swimming, diving, fighting... All contest of natural abilities.... Then you have the areas where we have evolved, like weight-lifting, archery, boating-related sports, equestrian sports, and fencing, that don't necessarily come natural to us, but are things that our continued development has determined are important to survival. Then you have the tangential sports like gymnastics, cycling and race walking, that have their fundamental roots in natural human activity, but have evolved in different directions. Then you have entertainment... Badminton, basketball, volleyball, handball, rugby, soccer... pretty much all ball sports... Not necessarily related to human nature, but certainly a demonstration of human capability and competitiveness. Then you have synchronized swimming, and table-tennis - because it's important to recognize diversity. Then there's triathlon, to recognize those who can accumulate great wealth.

But more seriously, race walking has evolved from something fundamental to human survival (endurance walking), into something that is not part of the natural human condition, but is still a contest of physical prowess and conditioning (like gymnastics, cycling, ball sports and every other Olympic event). It's still not really for me; I won't watch it unless there's some Irish involvement, but if there's an Irish athlete competing on a world stage against the very best? I'll support it, even if it is synchronized swimming.

davedanon

Oi! I play table-tennis.









No Forrest Gump remarks, please.

Dubgal72

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I won't watch it unless there's some Irish involvement, but if there's an Irish athlete competing on a world stage against the very best? I'll support it, even if it is synchronized swimming.

I'll just draw your attention to the first on the list here. And the last
In between is pretty funny too.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/24/sport/olympic-strangest-events/