Rob Heffernan on how Ireland can become an athletics powerhouse

On this week’s podcast, and off the back of Sarah Healy, Mark English and Kate O’Connor’s medals at the European Indoor Championships, Sinéad and Gavin choose not to spend too long basking in the Ireland’s latest athletics success. They are joined by former 50km walk world champion and RTÉ pundit Rob Heffernan to look beneath the surface of the medals and ask: are these medals because of the Irish system, or in spite of it?

Rob explains what Irish athletics is doing well at an elite level, and what it must do better.

Having founded an athletics club in Cork, Rob is also well-placed to explain the challenges and opportunities at a grassroots level. He explains why the State needs to do more to improve PE hours in school, why investment in facilities is necessary, and why better talent ID is needed for Ireland to capitalise on its potential at a moment major medals has thrust the sport into the national spotlight.

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This week’s episode of The42 FM is brought to you by An Post Money.

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