IRELAND’S KATE O’CONNOR says the opening day of the World Championships heptathlon has been a hectic run of events, barely finding time to get to the toilet as she sits in silver medal position ahead of the conclusion tomorrow.
O’Connor achieved three personal bests over four events today, excelling in the 100m hurdles, the high jump and the 200m. She also took fifth place in the shot put, with the long jump, javelin and 800m to come tomorrow where she will finish off her campaign.
The Dundalk star got off the mark with 13.44 seconds in the 100m hurdles to take eighth place before adding a jump of 1.86m to finish fourth in the high jump. She was in outright third after the shot put, and finished her opening day of heptathlon action with a brilliant run of 24.07 to take second in the 200m heats and climb up to silver medal contention.
“It’s been madness,” she told RTÉ Sport. “People at home probably don’t realise, we don’t even have time to go to the toilet. We didn’t have time to warm up between the shot and the 200m.
Advertisement
“I actually did manage to pop to the toilet, then out here [for the 200m]. It’s just been like, go, go, go from one to the next.
“But I’m trying to just think of it as a training day, it’s kind of what my training is like at home, so coming into it, I always like ‘Just play it to your advantage. This is how you train, just go out and go one event to the next.’ So, obviously, I PB’d in three of them. It’s been going pretty well.”
"We don't even have time to go to the toilet" - A hectic first day for heptathlete Kate O'Connor but she is in the silver medal spot ahead of the final three events tomorrow 📺Watch the #WorldAthleticsChamps on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player pic.twitter.com/mOeYEWlhNT
Reflecting on her performances across the individual events today, O’Connor said she “wrote out little marks” which she wanted to achieve in Tokyo.
“I hit two of them,” she continues. “Two of them, I didn’t hit.
“Hurdles, I really was going for a 13.3. 13.4 [was] very close, but just not it. High jump, I wanted 1.83m. I got 1.86m. Shot [put] was a little bit iffy [at] training for the last little while, so I just wanted a solid 14m throw. I managed 14.3m.
“And then, if I’m being honest, I really wanted a sub 24 [in the 200m], but that’s just me being greedy and being a competitor. I’m getting there, slowly, for sure.”
O’Connor also mentioned her father and primary coach, Michael, who helps manage her emotions throughout the different events.
“It’s really tiring for them as well. The nerves are up and all over the place, but thankfully in the high jump, I didn’t do too many madness jumps. It was all pretty solid up until the 1.86m. I’ve kept their heart rate as low as possible, but they’ve been great.
“In times where I don’t know what I’m doing, or I don’t know what to do, they just always have the right kind of cues to settle me down. That’s one of the biggest things with heptathlon is, just keeping your emotions as flatline as possible, and not waste energy here, there and everywhere.
“We’re up early tomorrow. We’ll get back as quickly as we can, eat some dinner and head to bed, and then come back.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'We don't have time to go to the toilet' - Hectic day leaves O'Connor firmly in the medal hunt
IRELAND’S KATE O’CONNOR says the opening day of the World Championships heptathlon has been a hectic run of events, barely finding time to get to the toilet as she sits in silver medal position ahead of the conclusion tomorrow.
O’Connor achieved three personal bests over four events today, excelling in the 100m hurdles, the high jump and the 200m. She also took fifth place in the shot put, with the long jump, javelin and 800m to come tomorrow where she will finish off her campaign.
The Dundalk star got off the mark with 13.44 seconds in the 100m hurdles to take eighth place before adding a jump of 1.86m to finish fourth in the high jump. She was in outright third after the shot put, and finished her opening day of heptathlon action with a brilliant run of 24.07 to take second in the 200m heats and climb up to silver medal contention.
“It’s been madness,” she told RTÉ Sport. “People at home probably don’t realise, we don’t even have time to go to the toilet. We didn’t have time to warm up between the shot and the 200m.
“I actually did manage to pop to the toilet, then out here [for the 200m]. It’s just been like, go, go, go from one to the next.
“But I’m trying to just think of it as a training day, it’s kind of what my training is like at home, so coming into it, I always like ‘Just play it to your advantage. This is how you train, just go out and go one event to the next.’ So, obviously, I PB’d in three of them. It’s been going pretty well.”
Reflecting on her performances across the individual events today, O’Connor said she “wrote out little marks” which she wanted to achieve in Tokyo.
“I hit two of them,” she continues. “Two of them, I didn’t hit.
“Hurdles, I really was going for a 13.3. 13.4 [was] very close, but just not it. High jump, I wanted 1.83m. I got 1.86m. Shot [put] was a little bit iffy [at] training for the last little while, so I just wanted a solid 14m throw. I managed 14.3m.
“And then, if I’m being honest, I really wanted a sub 24 [in the 200m], but that’s just me being greedy and being a competitor. I’m getting there, slowly, for sure.”
O’Connor also mentioned her father and primary coach, Michael, who helps manage her emotions throughout the different events.
“It’s really tiring for them as well. The nerves are up and all over the place, but thankfully in the high jump, I didn’t do too many madness jumps. It was all pretty solid up until the 1.86m. I’ve kept their heart rate as low as possible, but they’ve been great.
“In times where I don’t know what I’m doing, or I don’t know what to do, they just always have the right kind of cues to settle me down. That’s one of the biggest things with heptathlon is, just keeping your emotions as flatline as possible, and not waste energy here, there and everywhere.
“We’re up early tomorrow. We’ll get back as quickly as we can, eat some dinner and head to bed, and then come back.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
all action Athletics Heptathlon kate o'connor Track and Field World Athletics Championships