KATE O’CONNOR SAID she was never going to settle for bronze when she had a historic silver medal in her sights at the World Championships in Tokyo.
The Dundalk native duly delivered on her promise in the heptathlon despite suffering a knee injury during the long jump.
O’Connor produced five personal bests in seven events, including the last leg in the 800 metres, as she became just the sixth Irish athlete in history to win a medal at the World Championships.
"I feel ecstatic, I feel proud, I feel really proud to be Irish" - An emotional Kate O'Connor, and very proud dad Michael, reflect on her remarkable heptathlon silver medal at the World Athletic Championships in Tokyo #RTEsport#WorldAthleticsChampspic.twitter.com/CzKRyjvTSe
“I think it’s going to take a few days, maybe a few weeks for this to settle in. We’ve worked so hard over the last little while. I’m so proud of me. I’m so proud of the team that have been around me. None of this would be able to happen without the people that I have working with me. I have to thank them all so, so much because it just wouldn’t be possible without them,” she told RTÉ Sport.
“Yesterday I had the day from dreams and I genuinely enjoyed every single second of that competition and I obviously was in second position afterwards, and then today I had a pretty solid long jump but on the last jump I really hurt my knee and I didn’t know what was going to happen in that javelin.
“Without the team around me that were filling me with like positive thoughts… I did one practice before that javelin competition and I was just going off like pure vibes from them guys telling me that like I could go out and do it.
“And yeah, I’m just so happy that I was able to pull it together. And then a PB in the 800 too. I just, I don’t know, I was just running off pure adrenaline because again, my knee isn’t in the best of shape. But I’m just so happy that I was able to represent Ireland so well and be the first person in a long time to win a world medal outdoors for our country.
“It’s just, it’s insane. And I think that like, yeah, again, the work that’s gone on behind the scenes, I suppose, it’s just lovely that it’s kind of coming out now at the world stage.
“I went into it and I really wanted the silver medal. I wasn’t going to settle just for the bronze. And I just decided I was going to just give it my absolute everything. I’d fought so hard for the last two days and I was never going to go down without a fight.
“And I think that I’m a severe competitor. I’m going to fight for every single point that’s out there. And I think I did that over the last two days. And I managed to get this bad boy,” she said, clutching her silver medal.
“I feel proud. I feel really proud to be Irish and yeah, I just want to thank everybody at home for just watching, supporting and believing in me because these sort of things don’t happen without support and love from your country.”
Standing alongside O’Connor was her father, and coach, Michael, who reflected on a stunning season that has seen her win a gold medal at the World University Games, a bronze at the European Indoor Championships, and a silver and the World Indoor Championships.
“It just seems to have been so many fantastic days. I don’t know where it’s going to stop. It’s been absolutely brilliant. Four major, major medals. But what do I say about this girl? She’s just incredible.”
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'I feel really proud to be Irish' - Kate O'Connor reflects on World silver medal
KATE O’CONNOR SAID she was never going to settle for bronze when she had a historic silver medal in her sights at the World Championships in Tokyo.
The Dundalk native duly delivered on her promise in the heptathlon despite suffering a knee injury during the long jump.
O’Connor produced five personal bests in seven events, including the last leg in the 800 metres, as she became just the sixth Irish athlete in history to win a medal at the World Championships.
“I think it’s going to take a few days, maybe a few weeks for this to settle in. We’ve worked so hard over the last little while. I’m so proud of me. I’m so proud of the team that have been around me. None of this would be able to happen without the people that I have working with me. I have to thank them all so, so much because it just wouldn’t be possible without them,” she told RTÉ Sport.
“Yesterday I had the day from dreams and I genuinely enjoyed every single second of that competition and I obviously was in second position afterwards, and then today I had a pretty solid long jump but on the last jump I really hurt my knee and I didn’t know what was going to happen in that javelin.
“Without the team around me that were filling me with like positive thoughts… I did one practice before that javelin competition and I was just going off like pure vibes from them guys telling me that like I could go out and do it.
“And yeah, I’m just so happy that I was able to pull it together. And then a PB in the 800 too. I just, I don’t know, I was just running off pure adrenaline because again, my knee isn’t in the best of shape. But I’m just so happy that I was able to represent Ireland so well and be the first person in a long time to win a world medal outdoors for our country.
“It’s just, it’s insane. And I think that like, yeah, again, the work that’s gone on behind the scenes, I suppose, it’s just lovely that it’s kind of coming out now at the world stage.
“I went into it and I really wanted the silver medal. I wasn’t going to settle just for the bronze. And I just decided I was going to just give it my absolute everything. I’d fought so hard for the last two days and I was never going to go down without a fight.
“And I think that I’m a severe competitor. I’m going to fight for every single point that’s out there. And I think I did that over the last two days. And I managed to get this bad boy,” she said, clutching her silver medal.
“I feel proud. I feel really proud to be Irish and yeah, I just want to thank everybody at home for just watching, supporting and believing in me because these sort of things don’t happen without support and love from your country.”
Standing alongside O’Connor was her father, and coach, Michael, who reflected on a stunning season that has seen her win a gold medal at the World University Games, a bronze at the European Indoor Championships, and a silver and the World Indoor Championships.
“It just seems to have been so many fantastic days. I don’t know where it’s going to stop. It’s been absolutely brilliant. Four major, major medals. But what do I say about this girl? She’s just incredible.”
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