Athletics: Ireland's Olive Loughnane put in a performance of a lifetime to claim the silver medal in the women's 20kilometre walk at the Athletics World Championships in Berlin today. The Loughrea athlete crossed the line in a season's best 1:28:58 and was only bettered by defending champion and Olympic gold medalist Olga Kaniskina after the Russian won in a time of 1:28:09.
China’s Hong Liu took third in another season’s beat 1:29:10.
Today’s time was still over one minute outside Loughnane’s personal best but that was mainly down to the stifling hot conditions in Berlin. After finishing eighth in last year’s Beijing Games the 33-year-old stepped up her work rate to secure a memorable podium finish.
Kaniskina gave Russian their second gold in as many days while Lui won China’s second bronze in the walks.
Not surprisingly the grueling race began at a steady pace due to the conditions. The field was tightly bunched after 20 minutes with Spain's Maria Vasco, Germany's Sabine Krantz and Norway's Kjersti Tysse Platzer leading the way.
Kaniskina eventually pushed on the accelerator and only Tysse Platzer and fellow Russian Anisya Kirdyapkina could go with her, leaving behind a chasing group of 10.
It soon became clear Kaniskina was in a class of her own as she soon burned off her rivals and opened up a considerable lead, with Platzer seemingly getting the better of Kirdyapkina.
Loughnane, meanwhile, had stuck to her strategy and bided her time, which came when Platzer and Kirdyapkina both faded as Kaniskina got stronger.
Loughnane and Liu quickly became the primary challengers to the leader but the Russian held a massive 56 second lead at the 15km stage, while the pair was 11 seconds ahead of Kirdyapkina in fourth.
At the same point Platzer was also disqualified.
Loughnane and Liu both got warnings on their second lap but it was the Irish athlete who had the stamina to pull away from her Chinese rival.
There was no chance of catching Kaniskina but silver was secured with some ease in the end.
Loughnane was the only Irish athlete in action today.