Kate O'Connor (athlete)

Last updated

Kate O'Connor
Kate O'Connor 2023 (cropped).jpg
Kate O'Connor in 2023
Personal information
NationalityIrish / Northern Irish
Born (2000-12-12) 12 December 2000 (age 24)
Newry, Northern Ireland [1]
Home town Dundalk
Sport
CountryFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland
Sport Track and field
Event(s) heptathlon, indoor pentathlon
ClubDundalk St Gerard's
Coached byMichael O'Connor
Achievements and titles
Commonwealth finals 2018 heptathlon, 8th place
Personal best(s)Heptathlon: 6,297 pts
Indoor pentathlon: 4,683 pts [2]
Medal record
Representing Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
European Athletics U20 Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Borås Heptathlon
Representing Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Birmingham Heptathlon

Katherine "Kate" O'Connor (born 12 December 2000) [2] is an Irish track and field athlete, who competes in the heptathlon and indoor pentathlon for Northern Ireland and Ireland. O'Connor is the Irish and Northern Irish record holder for heptathlon with 6,297 points and indoor pentathlon with 4,683 points.

Contents

Career

Aged 17, O'Connor competed for Northern Ireland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, finishing eighth in the heptathlon. [3]

She won a silver in the heptathlon at the 2019 European Athletics U20 Championships in Borås, Sweden. [4] [5]

O'Connor won the silver medal competing in the heptathlon at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, her first senior medal, behind Katarina Johnson-Thompson. [6]

She qualified for the heptathlon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, finishing in 13th place. [7]

O'Connor became the first Irish heptathlete to compete at an Olympics [8] when she finished 14th at the 2024 Paris Games. [9] [10]

She set a new Irish indoor pentathlon record of 4,683 points at the Tallinn Combined Events meeting in Estonia in February 2025. [11]

Personal life

O'Connor began studying at the University of Texas in 2019. [12]

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References

  1. "Kate O'Connor wins heptathlon silver at the European Under-20 Championships". BBC Sport. 19 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 "World Athletics - Athlete: Kate O'Connor". World Athletics.
  3. Brennan, Ian. "Historic Silver for Kate O'Connor in Heptathlon at Euro U20s". Buzz.ie.
  4. O'Riordan, Ian (19 July 2019). "Kate O'Connor first female heptathlete to medal for Ireland". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. "O'Connor wins brilliant heptathlon silver at Euro U20s". RTE News. 19 July 2019.
  6. "Northern Ireland's Kate O'Connor wins heptathlon silver at Commonwealth Games". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  7. "Heptathlete Kate O'Connor 'proud' of 13th place finish at World Athletics Championships". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  8. "Kate makes history today as Ireland's first heptathlete to compete in Olympic Games". Newry Reporter. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  9. "Ireland's Kate O'Connor places 14th overall in Heptathlon". The 42. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  10. "O'Connor finishes 14th in first Olympic heptathlon". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  11. "Kate O'Connor smashes Irish pentathlon record in Estonia". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  12. Browne, P. J. "18-Year-Old Kate O'Connor Breaks Irish Senior Heptathlon Record". Balls.ie.