Kate O’Connor produced a sensational concluding 800m to clinch a brilliant bronze in the pentathlon as she was one of Ireland’s three medal winners on the last day of the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn.
Despite setting personal bests in three of the four earlier events, O’Connor, 24, went into the concluding 800m in fourth place, 34 points behind Great Britain’s Jade O’Dowda.
However, Newry-born O’Connor led the 800m from the gun and went on to produce a new personal best of 2:11.42 to win the concluding event as she finished 30 points ahead of O’Dowda, who is the sister of Republic of Ireland footballer Callum O’Dowda.
O’Connor’s overall points tally of 4781 bettered her existing Irish record by 98 points as Finland’s gold medal favourite Saga Vanninen (4922) clinched gold ahead of Dutch athlete Sofie Doktor (4826).
The Commonwealth Games medallist’s performance continued a stunning final session for the Ireland team after Letterkenny athlete Mark English earned men’s 800m bronze followed by Dubliner Sarah Healy’s women’s 3000m gold.
Personal bests in the opening 60m hurdles and the high jump, along with a solid shot put had put O’Connor in the silver medal position.
The Dundalk woman continued her impressive performances by producing another lifetime best in the long jump as she leapt 6.27m – 0.22m further than her previous PB – but that couldn’t prevent her from falling to fourth heading into the concluding 800m as Vanninen, Dokter and and O’Dowda all jumped further.
