Funeral held for promising young cyclist killed during road race
By Plymouth Herald | Thursday, March 21, 2013, 05:30
THE FUNERAL service for a promising sportsman was held yesterday at a Tavistock church.
Junior Heffernan, from Yelverton, died on March 3 after his bike collided head-on with a car during the 41st annual Severn Bridge Road Race in Gloucestershire.
The accomplished triathlete and swimmer was tipped as a rising star of cycling and had begun racing for a team – Herbalife LeisureLakesBikes.com – when tragedy struck.
Last weekend hundreds of cyclists took part in a special fundraising ride from Yelverton to Burrator Reservoir and back, with the aim of creating a lasting legacy to honour the young rider. All money raised will go to the Kelly College Olympic Legacy Pool project which aims to help other young athletes develop their talents.
Yesterday, family, friends and well-wishers packed St Eustachius Church in Tavistock, where the service was held. A celebration of Junior's life was then held afterwards at Kelly College, where the 23-year-old was a pupil.
Comments
Re: funeral in Tavistock for promising young cyclist.
Junior Heffernan was clearly a talented athlete at the beginning of what may have been a glittering career in cycling. It's incredibly cruel that this tragedy should have happened to someone so young with so much to offer. Our thoughts go out to Junior's family, friends and students at Kelly College for this sad loss.
Paul Strange, Community Publisher, South Devon (including Tavistock People)
By PGStrange at 19:16 on 21/03/13
Report