BRENDAN Boyce says it will be ‘all in one for last race’ when the competitors take to the start line in the 50km Race Walk in Sapporo.
Boyce has forged a good career for himself and this is his third Olympics after starring in both London (2012) and Rio four years later.
However, it’s hard to know what will come next for the Finn Valley AC man after this event.
The 50km Race Walk has been cut from the Olympics and will not take place in Paris in 2024. A shorter 35km format will take its place.
The IOC say that the call to scrap the event was made with consideration to gender balanced competition, and there is no female equivalent of the 50km Race Walk.
The Milford man came out strongly against the decision but it mattered little in the end as the authorities proceeded with their plan.
Boyce feels that he is at his peak, but added that none of his opponents will be looking ahead to the future, and it is all about the present for everyone. The race starts at 5.30am (Sapporo time) on Friday morning, which is 9.30pm on Thursday in Ireland.
“I suppose for me it has really always been about Tokyo and peaking for these Games. This would have been on my radar as far back as London in 2012.
“I was a novice back in London really. It was my first international tournament and that just happened to be the Olympics.
“I was better in Rio four years later but I still had a lot to improve on.
“It was always going to be Doha (2019 World Championships) and Tokyo that my career would peak.
“The 50km Race Walk is being cut (at the Olympics) after this too. It’s the last ever, so there is no such thing as picking up experience for the future.
“It’s all in for one last race and you have no option but to give it everything.”
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