ATHLETICS | Kate sets a new youth record at the European U20 Championships

16-year-old Dundalk St Gerard’s AC star shines in heptathlon event

Kate O’Connor made it a red letter day for Irish athletics by finishing in eighth place in the heptathlon at the European U20 Athletics Championships on Friday, her points tally a new European youth record!

The 16-year-old Dundalk St Gerard’s AC star finished day one in 10th position overall with 3,373 points from the opening four events.

Kate got things underway with a sixth place finish — crossing the line in 15.06 seconds — in the 100m hurdles before recording a PB in the high jump with a leap of 1.78m on her last attempt!

She followed that up with another PB in the shot putt, throwing 12.90m to take sixth place before rounding off a successful day with another in the 200m, a time of 25.24 seconds enough for a fourth place finish.

Day two saw the St Vincent’s Secondary School student open with the long jump. A leap of 5.58m was followed by a jump of 5.57m in her last attempt, securing 11th place and maintaining her 10th position overall.

An impressive throw of 43.30 metres followed in the javelin, bumping her into eighth position ahead of the final event, the 800m.

Kate watched on as Blackrock AC’s Gina Apke-Moses blazed to gold in the 100m final and she finished the heptathlon in spectacular fashion herself, bagging a fourth PB of the event in the 800m with a time of 2:15:87 minutes to take her final points tally to 5,759, a new youth record.

In the same event, Cushintown’s Elizabeth Morland set a new national senior, U23 and U20 record of 5,801 points.

Day One Results

100m Hurdles — 15.06 (6th)
High Jump — 1.78 (9th) PB
Shot Putt — 12.90 (6th) PB
200m — 25.24 (4th) PB

Day Two Results

Long Jump — 5.57 (11th)
Javelin — 43.30 (7th)
800m — 2:15:87 (5th) PB