Robert Heffernan has called on the powers-that-be to increase the levels of funding for Irish athletes after their impressive performance at the Paris Olympics.
Team Ireland produced one of their most successful Olympic campaigns yet, winning seven medals including four golds as well as a number of other impressive performances.
The fourth place finish of the Irish women's 4x400m relay team was another brilliant performance on the list, drawing big praise from RTÉ's athletics pundits Derval O'Rourke, Sonia O'Sullivan and Robert Heffernan.
A five-time Olympic race-walker himself and a bronze medal winner in London 2012, Heffernan hailed the team's 'phenomenal' performance.
"They were phenomenal," said Heffernan.
"The four of them were phenomenal.
10 August 2024; The Team Ireland relay team, from left, Phil Healy, Sharlene Mawdsley, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sophie Becker after finishing fourth the women's 4 x 400m relay final at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
"From Sophie (Becker) running another PB again, Rhasidat (Adeleke) coming back again running 48.9, Phil Healy having her best run in years, imagine the pressure she was under the last hundred metres to give Sharlene a chance. There was huge pressure on her.
"She was unbelievable. She stood up. She's a credit to herself.
"They're going to be gutted but they have to be so proud," added the Cork-man.
For Heffernan, it makes the team's achievements all the more notable that, to his mind, two of their runners Phil Healy and Sophie Becker are part-time athletes.
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"Two of these girls are part-time, they're up against mega-stars in the Americans.
"I think Phil and Sophie still work. Imagine if we can invest more...There's loads of stuff to improve on."
Heffernan feels that now is the time to capitalise on Ireland's success at the Olympics, calling on those in power to put their money where their mouths are.
"I've gone to five Olympics. We all get caught up in the hype. The athletes come home and everything is forgotten about," he said.
Paris 2024: Sharlene Mawdsley runs the final leg as the Ireland women's 4x400 relay team fall agonisingly short of the medal places
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"In this Olympic cycle, we've invested €89 million in all high performance sport.
"We bring in a net revenue into the country every year of €100 billion.
"So why can't these athletes come home from Paris now with a guarantee that we'll double the funding for the next few years. Look at the impact that it has on society.
"There's loads of stuff we can do, funding more coaches. We should have athletics coaches going into the primary schools following the GAA model because athletics is the fundamentals for all sports. We need more tracks."
"Invest in sport. Look how positive it makes everybody. We need investment. The girls are going to come off the plane, they'll be in the áras, all of the politicians will be around. So put your money where your mouth is now and let's back them."
Heffernan feels the relay team's performance in particular will have a huge 'ripple-effect' on athletics in the country, describing their performance as something we should all be proud of.
"To be that close, in a sprint event, it's huge. The ripple effect this will have for athletics in the country is going to be huge. They've done brilliant," he said.
"It's an example for all Irish people, in all sports, to come into the biggest stage and perform at their best. We can't ask for anymore from them. They're going to get better."
