Dundalk woman Kate O'Connor has won Ireland's first World Indoor Championships medal in 19 years after taking silver in the pentathlon in Nanjing, China.
Less than a fortnight after winning a European bronze, the 24-year-old posted three personal bests across the five events to claim Ireland's first indoor medal since Derval O'Rourke's gold in Moscow back in 2006.
O'Connor came into the final event, the 800m, just three points behind the USA's Taliyah Brooks and overhauled her by finishing third in the race and, crucially, ahead of the American.
Finland's Saga Vanninen made it a European and World gold double as she took first with 4,821 points, 79 points clear of O'Connor, who in turn had 73 in the end to spare over Brooks.
The final event was, as expected, a physical affair from the start, with O'Connor settling into fourth after some early jostling, and Brooks tracking closely.
O'Connor made her move in the third lap, asuming third position by the bell as Brooks struggled with the injection of pace. The Irish woman exuded confidence in the final lap to maintain her third place and take silver.
O'Connor was the first Irish athlete to feature at the championships when she lined out in the 60m hurdles in the early hours of this morning, storming to a PB of 8.30 to finish fourth in her heat.
Another lifetime best followed in the shot put with a throw of 14.64m.
O'Connor was joint top of the standings in the high jump where her jump of 1.81m was matched by Timara Chapman of the USA.
In the long jump, O’Connor posted successive personal bests – 6.30m (exceeding her previous mark by 3cm) followed by 6.32m – before fouling on her third effort as she entered the final event in third position.
Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, Athletics Ireland High Performance Director Paul McNamara said it was a landmark day for Irish athletics.
"We knew coming over here that Kate had a real medal opportunity, but she had to deliver, and she delivered in spades," he said.
"Everybody in the Irish camp knows just how significant a combined events medal is for Ireland. It’s very, very significant and shouldn’t be underestimated.
"Europe is the home of combined eventing. For Kate to medal in Europe was significant, but to move on and do the same thing within two weeks in a very attritional event is massive.
"We’re thrilled, absolutely thrilled."
Since an indoor event in Tallinn a month ago, followed by the Europeans and Worlds, O'Connor has set nine personal bests in 10 events.
Asked what has changed for the Paris Olympian, McNamara said: "A shift in mindset. She knows she is world class and knows she is on a trajectory to better again. Both Kate and her dad Michael (coach) talk about LA 2028 being the goal.
"She had weak events and she has addressed those weak events.
"She looks a different athlete. She is a different athlete."
It has been a remarkable indoor season for the Irish competitor, yet McNamara sees further room for growth.
The pentathlon is a five-event discipline, but for the outdoor season the heptathlon will see javelin and 200 metres added into the mix, something that plays to O'Connor’s strengths.
"Javelin is Kate’s strongest event, so as she moves into heptathlon, she is moving up and moving on," he said. "She has always been very strong in her preferred event, so she is in a very strong place."
Also on Friday, Andrew Coscoran finished third in his heat of the 1500m, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
Coscoran ran 3:40.79 and was pipped to the second qualifying spot by Austria's Raphael Pallitsch by 0.71 of a second.
Their heat was won by world-record holder Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen in 3:39.80.
Sophie O'Sullivan recorded a personal best of 4:16.68 while finishing sixth in her 1500m heat.
Watch the World Indoor Athletics Championships on the Eurovision Sport website, free with registration required
