Hamstring injury ends Olympic hopes for Brendan Boyce

A hamstring injury has ended Brendan Boyce's hopes of reaching the Olympic Games in Paris.

The Finn Valley AC race walker was aiming to qualify for what would have been his fourth Olympics.

However, a hamstring tear has put paid to those dreams.

The Milford man has confirmed that he has “run out of road” to recover in time for the European Championships in June.

The injury will also mean that his Olympic qualification hopes have been quashed.

Boyce, now based in Cork where he is coached by former World race walking champion Rob Heffernan, competed at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games over the 50km race walk, an event that has since been shelved.

He had been attempting to qualify for Paris in the 20km.

Boyce had to withdraw 8km into the World Race Walking Team Championships in Turkey last month - the primary qualification opportunity in the event for the Olympics.

Boyce was aiming to book a place in Paris in the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay alongside Kate Veale from West Waterford.

However, Boyce did not finish the opening leg and Veale, therefore, did not get the chance to compete.