Only now, as it turns out, that medal is still in the possession of the Olympic Council of Ireland, having been handed over to OCI president Pat Hickey for safe keeping.
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China still has hopes for gold medals. “We’ll have a good night that night, that’s all I can say”. “We’ll have an Olympic ceremony in Ireland in a month or two and we’ll get to enjoy it properly”. He originally finished fourth, only to be upgraded earlier this year after the Russian Sergey Kirdyapkin was finally nailed for doping offences.
Dunfee was briefly awarded third (and Heffernan promoted to fifth), although Arai appealed, and later still the Japanese athlete was reinstated on the podium in third (leaving Heffernan in his original sixth place). Japan’s Hirooki Arai initially claimed bronze but was disqualified after the race for bumping into the Candaian.
Heffernan described it as an “horrendous” race, given the 30 degree-plus heat by the beach in Pontal.
The sight of one-time leader Yohann Diniz stopping, going on and collapsing – and then getting up again to finish seventh – underlined the fierce competitiveness of the medal hopefuls. “Obviously, they’re very, very tough, but they’re tough for everyone [.] nobody’s predisposed to competing in these conditions”.
The veteran was in pain as he flexed the muscles in his right arm and leg that had cramped up.
“I was looking at the board at halfway, and I was around 35th or 36th and I was just thinking it’s impossible for this many people to be in front of me”. I’m still there or thereabouts so you have to take the positives.
And the great survivor of Irish sport, who was tipped to call it a day after London, may even be around for Toyko 2020.
Irishman Brendan Boyce also had a brilliant race, finishing in 18th place in the revised standings.
“I’ll see if the kids are happy, that’s the most important thing, that we’re happy as a family”, he said.
“And then why not?” Why not, I’m in good shape, y’know? But if you’re able to be competitive, and people are getting joy out of my performances, and I’m getting joy, why not keep going?
“Sixth in the Olympics, I’m around long enough to appreciate how good that is”.
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“That was definitely motivate me and I want to thank everybody back home who supported me”.
