Walk Records Set In Cork Each Year
When Robert Heffernan set a new Irish record for the 3000m Walk at the 62nd Cork City Sports last week (his time was also a World over 35 age record) by clocking 11mins 11.94 sec. for the seven and a half laps he was to a certain extent repeating the exploits of previous winners who have set world leading times in Cork.
Eder Sanchez (Mexico) who defeated the Cork man at the Mardyke in 2009 in a close finish started the tradition by recording the fastest time in the world for that year, a feat which was repeated at the CIT track in 2010 when the classy Australian Luke Adams set the existing Meeting record of 10 mins 59.04 secs ahead of Dungarvan’s Jamie Costin who broke Heffernan’s then existing national record. Since then the legendary Spanish walker, Francisco Javier Fernandez with 11:14.63 in 2011 and Heffernan himself last year won in Cork with world leading times.
The impressive runner up in Cork, the South African Wayne Snymanset a pb of 11:34.60 just ahead of Irish Olympian Brendan Boyce from Donegal who also broke his lifetime figures with 11;36.98. Olympic representative Colin Griffin from Ballinamore and young Evan Lynch set seasonal best times. The unlucky South African, Marc Mundell was on target for a huge pb when he was unluckily disqualified in the closing half lap.
The message is clear for international walkers if you want a fast time come to Cork.
