News

Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerard’s AC) has won a historic silver medal in the pentathlon at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China this evening, March 21^st.

O’Connor secured her first global medal with a stunning performance of 4,742 points which also earned Ireland’s first podium place at a World Indoor Athletics Championships since Derval O’Rourke’s gold in the 60m hurdles back in 2006.

O’Connor’s performance comes just over a fortnight after her brilliant bronze medal at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn where she set a new national record of 4,781 points, achieving personal bests in four of her five events. Today saw her improve on three of those personal bests once again, and this time on the world stage.

The Dundalk athlete got today’s competition off to a flying start with a personal best of 8.30 in the 60m hurdles, which she followed with an impressive 1.81m clearance in the high jump. A second PB followed in the shot put, where she threw 14.64m.

The afternoon session saw O’Connor open with a personal best of 6.30m in the first of her attempts in the long jump, before going on to better the mark once again in the second round with a leap of 6.32m. The final 800m event saw her reproduce another outstanding track performance, crossing the finish in a time of 2:14.19 which guaranteed her place on the podium.

The 24-year-old Dundalk athlete becomes only the 7^th Irish athlete to medal individually at a World Indoor Championships – following in the footsteps of Marcus O’Sullivan, Paul Donovan, Frank O’Mara, Sonia O’Sullivan, Paul McKee, and Derval O’Rourke.

12 days ago, no multi-eventer had ever won a major championship for Ireland, Kate O’Connor has now achieved the feat at both European and World level in the space of a few short weeks.

The gold went to Finland’s Saga Vanninen (4821) and bronze to USA’s Taliyah Brooks (4669).

Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) and Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) were also in action this afternoon with both going in the heats of their respective women’s and men’s 1500m. O’Sullivan finished in sixth place in the third of the women’s heats in a time of 4:16.68 PB which was not enough to progress, while Coscoran ran a 3:40.79 for third which saw him narrowly miss out on advancing to Sunday’s final.

Coscoran is expected back on track tomorrow morning however for the final of the 3000m set for 11.33am Irish time where he will take to the start-line alongside teammate James Gormley (Carmen Runners AC).

Sarah Healy (UCD AC) will also take to the track tomorrow afternoon as the European champion lines up for the final of the women’s 3000m. The 24-year-old has a season’s best of 8:30.79 which ranks her fourth in the field this year going into the straight final at 11:15am Irish time.

Full results can be found HERE.