Ireland's walkers

Despite Ireland's deep tradition and interest in distance events, the number of Olympic competitors the country has produced in the walk is remarkably sparse. It wasn't until Rome in 1960 that Frank O'Reilly became the first Irishman to wear the green vest in the punishing 50km walk.

The event, which covers just over 31 miles, was first held in Los Angeles in 1932, when the Olympic best was around four hours and 50 minutes. These days, they're walking at least an hour more quickly. The rules (though not always the enforcement of the rules) have stayed the same. Contestants must keep one foot on the ground at all times. Another rule requires walkers to straighten the leg at each step at the point of first contact with the ground.

A first foul incurs a warning for "lifting". If three of the judges - spread at constant intervals around the course - hand out a warning, the third warning results in the disqualification. As you can imagine, there is often huge discrepancy in why athletes are disqualified.

O'Reilly eventually finished in 20th place in a sun-drenched Rome, his time of 4:54.40 nearly half an hour behind the winner - Donald Thompson of Britain. Four years previously in Melbourne, Thompson had been in fifth place with only 5k to go when he collapsed with heat exhaustion. For Rome, he helped acclimatise by boiling kettles and stacking heaters into his bathroom, where he would then exercise on the spot.

Four years later in Mexico City, John Kelly became the second Irish Olympian over the 50k walk, but the combination of heat and altitude forced him out of the race before the end. Today, race walking is the most popular sport in Mexico after football.

After that, it wasn't until Jimmy McDonald qualified for Seoul in 1988 that Ireland next had an Olympic walker. McDonald competed over the shorter 20k distance - introduced in 1956 - but his achievements over the following decade would make him the country's most successful walker to date.

Growing up in New Ross, McDonald had tried most athletic events before being introduced to the walk towards the end of his junior days. At 24, he travelled to Seoul with great expectations but certainly surpassed them by finishing in 17th place with a time that improved his best by five minutes. The following year, he became the first man to break 11 minutes for the 3k distance outdoors, and in 1991 he finished seventh at the World Indoor Championships.

It was McDonald's performance in Barcelona in 1992, however, which produced the greatest walk by an Irishman. Having started out cautiously, he came through the field in the latter half of the race, clocking the second fastest closing 10k of all. Passing the much fancied Mexican in the final stages, he eventually finished sixth with his time of 1:25.16 just over three minutes behind the winner, Daniel Plaza of Spain. Incredibly, Plaza had grown up less than 10k from the Olympic Stadium at Montjuic.

McDonald went on to win nine successive 10k national titles and once again comfortably qualified for Atlanta for the 20k in 1996. But the high humidity took its toll and he was unable to reproduce his Barcelona form. Also competing in Atlanta was Deirdre Gallagher - Ireland's first woman to make an Olympic walk.

Gallagher had smashed every record at schools level and, in reaching Atlanta for the 10k event, had put Mayo back on the map of Olympic qualifiers for the first time since Martin Sheridan in 1908. In 1994, Gallagher won Irish titles at 3k, 5k and 10k and also finished 24th at the European championships.

Her 10k record was only recently bettered by Gillian O'Sullivan, who follows Gallagher's footsteps in the now extended 20k distance at Sydney. Joining her in that event will be Galway's Olive Loughnane. With Cork's Robert Heffernan and Waterford's Jamie Costin also qualifying for the men's events - and both at the early stages of their career - Irish race walking is currently enjoying a bloom period that looks set to continue well into Athens 2004.