A DISQUALIFICATION FORÂ Hirokai Arai from Japan means that that Brendan Boyce’s position in the 50k Walk at the Olympic Games in Rio has been upgraded.
Arai finished the race this afternoon in third place but was later found guilty of a hip check on Evan Dunfree of Canada. The Canadians filed an ultimately successful protest and Dunfee, who was 14 seconds behind Arai in the chase for third before ending up in fourth, was upgraded to bronze.
Arai from Japan has been disqualified so means Heffernan moves up to 5th and Boyce to 18th subject to protest
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 19, 2016
Boyce, from Milford, had completed the event in 3 hours, 53 minutes and 59 seconds – a time that was good enough for 19th place overall initially. It’s since been upgraded to 18th, while Rob Heffernan from Cork was moved to fifth overall.
This was Boyce’s second Olympic Games. In London 2012, Boyce finished in 3:55:01, finishing in 29th position with that result later upgraded to 26th following disqualifications. Russia’s Sergey Kirdyapkin was first home four years ago, with compatriots Igor Yerokhin and Sergey Bakulin fifth and sixth. However, all three were later disqualified for doping offences.
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