Rob Heffernan (Togher AC) will receive the bronze medal for the 20k Race Walk from the European Championships in Barcelona in 2010 in Cork tonight. World and European Champion Sonia O’Sullivan will present the medal to Rob on behalf of European Athletics and Athletics Ireland. The ceremony will take place in the Council Chambers in City Hall at 6pm this evening.

Rob Heffernan finished fourth at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona but the winner on that occasion Russian race walker Stanislav Emelyanov has been subsequently banned. This brings Ireland’s medal tally at European Athletics Championships to 13. This is the Cork man’s second major medal adding to his heroic win in Moscow when he secured the World title in the 50k Walk.

Hometown

It will be a proud moment for Heffernan as he receives his medal in his home town of Cork in front of his family, friends and supporters. Also attending the ceremony tonight will be City Mayor Councillor Mary Shields & County Mayor Councillor Alan Coleman and European Athletics Council Member Liam Hennessy. Athletics Ireland will be represented by President Ciarán Ó Catháin and CEO John Foley.

Ciarán Ó Catháin President of Athletics Ireland said: “Leading on from Roisin’s medal last month (Roisin McGettigan received her bronze medal at the National Athletics Awards in November). It is fitting that Rob also gets to celebrate this moment in his hometown of Cork. Rob a reigning World Champion can add this medal to his long list of incredible achievements.”