Kate O'Connor has made a spectacular start of the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo. The Dundalk native has her eyes on the prize, and has set herself up for medal contention after setting personal bests in three of the four events of the day.
The Irish athlete will start in silver medal position on day two of the event, after finishing off the day with 3906 points. She places behind USA's Anna Hall, who currently is on 4154 points, with reigning world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson in third on 3893 points.
With the prospect of winning Ireland's first medal at the World Championships since 2013, the 24 year old is not letting the pressure get to her.
'If I’m being honest, I just came to this championships and I wanted to have fun', Kate said . 'I’ve already had the year from dreams and I’ve really been trying to actually be present in the moment, in what I’m doing.
I didn’t know I was second and that’s great, but we’ve still got a long way to go in the competition. I’ll come out tomorrow, try PB in the long jump, try to PB in the javelin and try to PB in the eight [hundred]. That’s really what my aims are.' In the opening event of the 100m hurdles, Kate smashed her own personal best of 13.57 to a whopping 13.44, placing third overall.
In the high jump. Kate added 2cm to her PB, reaching heights of 1.86m. Stepping into the shot put circle, Kate gave it her all, throwing a best of 14.37m, and not far off her own PB of 14.61m
Closing off the night with a high, Kate obliterated her own PB in the 200m hurdles. Starting off the first heat in lane seven, Kate had an excellent run, finishing off with a new time of 24.07, miles off her previous time of 24.33
On her reaction to creating a new personal best for herself, Kate said 'The hurdles was one where I’ve known I’ve had a good PB in me for a long time. Sometimes I’m on the line and I’m like, ‘I’ll just get through this rather than attacking it,’ and Sarah Lavin actually gave me some really good advice ahead of that hurdle race. She’d be proud of me'.
The Irish athlete has set her prospects up for a medal position for day two of the event, only adding to her collection. Kate has already won pentathlon bronze at the European Indoors, silver at the World Indoors and heptathlon gold at the World University Games.
The second half of the heptathlon event will take place tomorrow evening in Tokyo.
See more of Kate's reaction below:
