MANX AIRLINES
20KM WALKS
STEVE PARTINGTON
reports
Irish Olympians, Gillian
O’Sullivan and Rob Heffernan retained their Manx
Airlines 20km Walk titles
with truly magnificent performances at the NSC on
Saturday.
Both walked faster than ever
before, recording world-class times and
relegating the quality fields Manx
Harriers had assembled to virtual
on-lookers.
Having started in the
1960’s, this early season meeting is now recognised as
the oldest International
Walking event in
awarded European Permit status.
With some very fast times
having been set indoors this season, expectations
were high that there would be
some memorable performances in both the men’s
and ladies races.
The weather is always a
telling factor in February in the
this year it was perfect. As the
ladies field lined up to start their 25
laps around the NSC perimeter
raceway, there was no breeze and it was warm
and sunny.
Right from the gun, Gillian
O’Sullivan was clearly in a class of her own and
determined to do more than just win
the race. Ever since the 20km was
introduced as the International
distance for ladies, times have been getting
faster, but the 90 minute barrier
remains an elusive target for all but the
very best in world walking. It
soon became apparent to everyone watching
that Gillian was aiming to go
‘sub 90’.
As she powered past 2.5km,
she was just a couple of seconds outside the
required pace, but already so far
ahead of the chasers that it was a
question of who would be he
runners-up . Heading that battle was GB
International Sharon Tonks who was making a return to the course where she
contested the English Schools
Championships in 1983! Behind her came the
local duo, with Elizabeth Corran
easing ahead of Bridget Kaneen. Jo Hesketh
from Steyning
started the most conservatively of all, content to hang back
in the early stages.
Showing amazing pace
judgement, Gillian swept past
5km in 22.33, and added
another 5km split of 22.31 to reach
10km in 45.04. She was relaxed and
controlled, but it was going to need a
faster second half if she was to
break 90 minutes. Her victory was
not in question. Sharon Tonks was already
over two laps behind, and having
started so positively was beginning to drop
off her planned pace. She
reached halfway in 53 minutes, about two minutes
up on Elizabeth, who had
extended her lead for local honours. Bridget went
through 10km in 56.10 – not much
slower than her best – and was about to
start paying the price! Jo Hesketh was beginning to make her move and looked
very fresh as she passed the
halfway mark and began reeling in those ahead.
Gillian’s third quarter took
her 22.43, and the magic 90 minute barrier
though still a possibility, was
looking unlikely. Spectators may have been
telling each other that the chance
had gone, but Gillian obviously wasn’t
listening. In a memorable display of
controlled acceleration, the 23 year
old full time athlete covered
her final 5km in a blistering 22.10 to cross
the line in 89.57. Not only was
this Gillian’s third successive Manx
Airlines win. It was an
Irish record and pushed her into the top 30 fastest
times in the world. Amazingly,
both her 10km splits were faster than Lisa
Kehler’s British
Record.
Further back, things were
looking a bit shaky for
the latter stages. Bridget was
also suffering and once Jo Hesketh powered
past her, it was always going to
be a case of ‘gritting it out’ for the Manx
Harriers chairman. It wasn’t
long before Jo had caught and passed
too, and in the final
kilometres she was undoubtedly the fastest of the
chasers.
the winner – and had over a
minute in hand over Jo. The Steyning walker
smashed her pb
by more than four minutes, and was justifiably delighted with
her place on the rostrum.
recent injury problems.
The men’s 20km started
fifteen minutes after the ladies, with Rob Heffernan
the odds-on favourite. His fellow Irishmen, Olympian Jamie Costin and
junior Colin Griffin were expected
to put up good performances against
Within 50m of the start,
Heffernan was setting a terrific pace and pulling
well clear of his rivals. Drake soon
established himself in second, ahead of
a large chasing group,
seemingly content to share the pace. Heffernan piled
on the pressure and reached
2.5km in just 10.05, and 5km in 20.09. So, while
Gillian was up ahead pushing
for a sub-90 minute time, it appeared that Rob
was going to get close to 80
minutes.
Drake went through 5km in
21.37, but later admitted that he felt ‘awful’.
Behind him Cheeseman, Holier and Costin were
still working together, though
Olympic 50km walker Costin was looking ominously comfortable. Steyning’s
Don Bearman
has been in great form over the past year, and it was no
surprise to see him close behind
Colin Griffin, who had started
conservatively.
Demonstrating amazing leg
speed, Heffernan took just 40.27 to reach 10km. By
this stage, Drake had called it
a day, suffering the effects of a recent
bout of flu. No doubt, the fact
that he had two warnings on the board,
hastened his decision. He wasn’t the
only one to attract the attentions of
the judges, as, to the surprise
of the majority of spectators, Heffernan had
also picked up a warning. With
his closest rival out, the 23 year old
Irishman enjoyed a lead of
over half a mile. Sensing a slackening in the
group, Costin
eased to the front and moved away to pass 10km in 43.54, ten
seconds up on Cheeseman
and Holier.
just 20m adrift of the English
pair at halfway, with Bearman a further 30
seconds back.
Over the third quarter, it
was business as usual for Rob Heffernan, but all
change behind him. As the leader
extended his advantage with another fast
5km,
third and Jamie Costin was no longer looking the safe bet for second place
he had been a few laps earlier.
Holier had broken clear of a tiring
Cheeseman, who had been relegated to
sixth by Bearman, who was really
beginning to get into his stride.
Crucially, Heffernan then
picked up a second warning, and with just a few
kilometres remaining, he had to slow
down or risk losing out on a
world-class time. He was visibly shaken
by the blow, and was even checking
with spectators that there had
been no mistake. So, there was a slightly
muted end to what had been a
wonderful racing performance. He crossed the
line in 81.54 – just one second
shy of the Irish Record – before promptly
throwing up. He made it look easy,
but walking at over 14.5 kmph for an hour
and twenty minutes is tough!
With just a couple of laps
to go, Jamie Costin was caught and passed by the
impressive
minutes faster than he’d walked
before and a new Irish Junior Record. Costin
was just 17 seconds back to
complete an Irish top three, with Holier leading
home the English trio. At the
age of 35, Don Bearman produced a two and a
half minute personal best to dip
under 90 minutes, 30 seconds behind 50km
expert Holier and 30 seconds up on
Cheeseman, who was another to have
another look at his breakfast after
the race. Next came regular Irish
visitor, Pat Ryan who was three
minutes clear of another Irishman walking
faster than before, David Kidd.
His 97.51 was almost five minutes up on his
previous best.
In 9th place
AllanCallow showed that there is life
in even the oldest of dogs with his
best for three years and
finishing first local. Behind Dave Radcliffe of
admirably sticking it out to the finish.
Unluckily for him, Simon Cox
finished 13th, another to struggle
in the perfect conditions.
Combined with the run in the
morning, this was another meeting that Manx
Harriers can be justifiably
proud of. As ever, thanks are extended to
everyone who helped make the day
such a success – from Manx Airlines for
their continued sponsorship, the
timekeepers, judges, recorders and
officials, not forgetting the
tea-makers and everyone who turned up to
support or race.
MANX AIRLINES 20KM WALK (MEN)
|
Position |
Surname |
Christian Name |
Time |
Club / Country |
|
1 |
Heffernan |
Rob |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Colin |
|
|
|
3 |
Costin |
Jamie |
|
|
|
4 |
Hollier |
Steve |
|
|
|
5 |
Bearman |
Don |
|
|
|
6 |
Cheeseman |
Chris |
|
|
|
7 |
Ryan |
Pat |
|
|
|
8 |
Kidd |
David |
|
|
|
9 |
Smith |
Mike |
|
|
|
10 |
Callow |
Allan |
|
|
|
11 |
Radcliffe |
Dave |
|
|
|
12 |
Stewart |
Mark |
|
|
|
13 |
Cox |
Simon |
|
|
MANX AIRLINES 20KM WALK (WOMEN)
|
Position |
Christian Name |
Surname |
Time |
Club / Country |
|
1 |
Gillian |
O’Sullivan |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Tonks |
|
|
|
3 |
Jo |
Hesketh |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Corran |
|
|
|
5 |
Bridget |
Kaneen |
|
|