Kate O'Connor won Northern Ireland's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the heptathlon at Scotstoun Stadium. The World indoor and outdoor silver medal winner finished top of the standings with 6569 points and became the first new heptathlon champion at the Games in eight years.
Who finished behind O'Connor?
England's Jade O'Dowda claimed silver, while Australia's Tori West won the battle for bronze.
What does this mean for O'Connor's career?
It was O'Connor's first senior outdoor gold and her first gold at her third Games after she finished eighth in 2018 and claimed silver in 2022. The 25-year-old also became Northern Ireland's 11th [could change with boxing] medal winner in Glasgow, and she claimed the country's first gold at the Games in athletics since 1986.
How did she go into the event?
O'Connor was favourite heading into the event after the late withdrawal of England's Katrina Johnson-Thompson, who beat her to gold in 2022, and she certainly lived up to the billing.
How did she build her lead on Tuesday?
The Newry-born athlete led after the first two events on Tuesday. She ran the 100m hurdles in 13.54 seconds and produced a season's best 1.82m in the high jump.
In a rain-soaked evening session, she dipped in the shot put, throwing just 12.85 in difficult conditions.
“gutted”
While she said she was
“gutted”with that performance, she rallied and bounced back well to run the 200m in a season's best time of 24.14, which was just 0.07 off her personal best as she strolled to victory in her heat.
She earned 3731 points across the four events to top the standings heading into Wednesday's second day of the competition and, with a 49-point advantage over O'Dowda, looked to be in pole position for gold.
How did she seal victory on Wednesday?
O'Connor further increased that lead on Wednesday morning as she recorded a leap of 1.82m in the long jump and a season's best 52.85m in the javelin to move 258 points ahead.
In the 800m, she finished first as she ran 2:10.45 to take home Northern Ireland's first multi-class gold medal since Dame Mary Peters won the pentathlon in 1974.
NI team-mate Anna McCauley finished eighth in the standings.
Key Facts
- Kate O'Connor won Northern Ireland's first Commonwealth Games gold medal in the heptathlon at Scotstoun Stadium.
- She finished with 6569 points, ahead of England's Jade O'Dowda and Australia's Tori West.
- O'Connor is 25 and won her first senior outdoor gold at her third Games.
- She ran 13.54 in the 100m hurdles, jumped 1.82m in the high jump and ran 2:10.45 in the 800m.
- Anna McCauley finished eighth.
