Two Beijing Olympians were present at Jury’s Cork hotel for the monthly presentation of the Cork City Sports Athletics Award. Robert Heffernan from Togher AC is the winner for the month of February after superbly retaining his 5,000m walk title at the Woodie’s DIY Irish Indoor championships held in the Odyssey Belfast. This was his twelfth Irish indoor title, which when added to the seventeen outdoor and road titles won since 1999, shows what an amazing athlete he is.

Also present at Jury’s – to be re-named next week as the River Lee Hotel – was Derval O’Rourke.

The monthly award is sponsored by The Evening Echo, Jury’s Cork hotel and 96fm / C103fm.

John McHale, editor of the Evening Echo, welcomed Rob and his family and friends, telling him “we are here to pay tribute to you, not only for your achievements in the month of February but your achievements over several years”. He mentioned the disappointment of Beijing, “but I have no doubt you will look back in a few years time and the medals you do not have now will be there then”

He complimented his family and Togher AC, “without your help and support Rob would not be where he is today”.

Dick Hodgins, chairman of Cork City Sports committee, also said the best is yet to come for Rob. “As someone who has been racing at the top level of sport for over ten years you are still unheralded as an athlete”, he said, and added that “in that time you have represented Ireland at three Olympics which is a huge achievement in itself considering the Olympics comes around only one every four years. Commenting on his performance in Beijing he said “while your were disappointed with your 15th place finish, many other athletes would have been delighted”.

In thanking the sponsors for the award Rob said Beijing was a bit of a disaster but 2010 has got off to a great start with victory in the Irish indoors and a second place finish in Switzerland on Sunday. “It is nice to be recognised” he said, and thanked his wife Marian and family for their support. Its all systems go towards Barcelona where he expects the weather to be even hotter than Beijing.

Rob also holds Irish walks records in nine events at U23 and senior levels and is about to chase after another. On Sunday week he competes over 50k in Slovakia and goes into the race in confident mood.

Leevale’s Derval O’Rourke was in relaxed mood at the function. She has just returned from a week in Miami spent following a sailing event. Next weekend its back to a hill training session, while on the competition front she is looking forward to competing in the sprint relay at Leevale Open Sports on April 18 at CIT, and racing a few 200’s in May.