Athletics Ireland has today announced that reigning World Champion Rob Heffernan (Togher AC) has been selected to compete in the 50km Race Walk at the European Track and Field Championships in Zurich on the 15th of August. Heffernan will be joined on the team by training partner Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny AC). The full Irish Team for the European Track and Field Championships in Zurich will be announced after the National Track and Field Championships on the 21st of July and is expected to be one of the largest Irish teams ever to compete at the championships.

Championship Form

Four years ago at the European Championships in Barcelona Heffernan finished fourth in both the 20km and 50km events. Since then Heffernan’s has gone on to place fourth at the London Olympics the best-ever Irish Olympic result in the distance and he recorded an Irish record of 3:37.54. Last August the Corkman made history by becoming Ireland’s third ever World Champion when he struck gold in Moscow in 2013.

Boyce also an experienced championship performer has steadily improved his placing and times over the last four years. Boyce finished 15th at the 2011 World University Games and within a year of that performance he placed 29th at the London 2012 Olympics. At last year’s World Championships in Moscow Boyce improved again to finish in 25th place in a new personal best of 3:54.24.

Current Form

Both Heffernan and Boyce have been preparing for the European Championships by undertaking rigorous training camps at altitude and competing in shorter 20km races. Heffernan set a season best of 1:20.57 when placing fifth in the Race Walking Grand Prix in Lugano in March. Boyce also competed in Lugano finishing 25th in a time of 1:26.33. The preparations continued in China at the Race Walking World Cup when Heffernan recorded a time of 1:21.00 and Boyce posted a time of 1:26.55.

Most recently Heffernan secured a fine victory at the Naumburg International Race Walking Grand Prix on Sunday, 18th of May over 20km with a time of 1:21.07.

Please Note

The selection policy for the European Track and Field Championships looks to raise performance standards for Irish Athletes. This selection philosophy is in-line with High Performance Vision of ‘More athletes winning on the World Stage’.

A Standards

-The A standards were determined by reviewing previous performances at European Championships combined with the progression standards outlined in the Athlete Carding Scheme.
- The qualifications standards set provide an opportunity for an athlete selected to achieve a top 8 -12 placing at the championships.
- An athlete will be considered for selection if they have achieved an A standard within the qualification period.

B Standards

- The B standards apply to carded development athletes only.
- Development athletes are defined in the Athlete Carding Scheme as aged 24 and under and as having Olympic potential in 2016/2020 and as having hit specific performance targets twice and placed at major championships
- The Selectors may however, in their sole discretion, identify individuals who are not carded as ‘Development Athletes’ and consider them for selection based on the B standards
- A development athlete must achieve the standard twice within the qualification period to be considered for selection.
- The B standards are the European Athletics qualifications standards

An athlete that has been selected with an “A” Performance Standard who has also achieved a “B” Performance Standard in another event will be automatically entered for the championship for the “B” event and may compete in either or both events if selected.

Qualification Period
• 1 January 2013 to 5 May 2014: Marathon
• 1 January 2013 to 19 May 2014: 50k Walk
• 1 January 2014 to 21 July 2014: All Others

Eligibility

• Must compete in the Senior Track and Field Championships
• Be a member of Athletics Ireland
• Fill out National Declaration form