Irishwoman adds European heptathlon title to Commonwealth success in Birmingham while Katarina Johnson-Thompson battles on till the end despite injury.

The track might be blue, but the Alexander Stadium was turned a deep shade of green on Saturday night (August 15) as Kate O’Connor’s golden heptathlon summer continued in Birmingham. 

Roared on by the large sections of the crowd bedecked in the colours of Ireland, the woman from Dundalk who had won the Commonwealth title in Glasgow on July 29 added European gold to her growing list of achievements. 

She did so by virtue of a national record-breaking total of 6751 points to finish ahead of the personal bests of Dutch duo Emma Oosterwegel (6713) and Sofie Dokter (6664). 

Commonwealth silver medallist Jade O’Dowda was the highest-placed British athlete in 13th place, while two-time world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s injury struggles hit hard as she finished 21st. 

O’Connor is riding the crest of a medal-winning wave and has now won six at major championships indoors and out, as well as winning the World University Games, since the beginning of last year. 

Following an opening day performance that saw her produce a PB in the 100m hurdles with 13.30, match her best in the high jump with a clearance of 1.86m, throw 13.96m in the shot put and then sprint to a PB of 23.79 in the 200m, O’Connor had been third overnight – 42 points behind overnight leader Adrianna Sulek-Schubert.

The 25-year could barely have started day two more positively, either as another PB – 6.55m (2.0) in the long jump – arrived and was followed by an opening throw of 50.16m in the javelin that gave her a lead of 51 points with only the 800m to go. 

That meant O’Connor had to finish within around 3.5 seconds of Oosterwegel to be sure of the gold. The Dutchwoman clocked 2:10.87 to win the A race, but O’Connor’s 2:11.74 in third place secured the title. 

“When I heard cheers like that for me going around those two laps, there was no way I was going to let that gold medal slip through my fingers,” O’Connor told RTÉ Sport.

“I did really want to win that 800m race, but with 50 metres to go I knew I had it in me to stay within the three seconds. I just wanted to cruise home and make sure I leave here injury-free and with a gold medal around my neck.”

O’Connor, who is coached by her father Michael, also dedicated her victory to late grandmother and added: “My Granny died during the year and I don't think I give my Dad enough credit. It really hit home for him big time and the way he still turned up to training day-in, day-out – because this is my dream, but it's also a dream for him, too.

“I have to dedicate this medal to my Granny because she was both of our biggest fans and she would have been jumping for joy if she was here to see this.”

At the other end of the standings, Johnson-Thompson was very much accentuating the positivity and pride she felt at completing the competition, despite the injury-interrupted preparation that had only seen her able to compete once this year before these championships, in the shot put, back in May.

"I've had a really difficult season behind the scenes, and I didn't know what form I was going to come here in,” she said. “I obviously trusted myself, in my ability to perform in major championships. I just didn’t have the preparation that I truly needed to be competitive. I had a wonderful time, and it was such a beautiful experience for me to be in Alexander Stadium.

"I've done this. for so long now and, when I look back at all the times that I didn't finish, or didn't start as well, it was definitely important to finish off something that I started. It wasn't right if I just sulked away after the 200m, so I'm really proud of my ability to finish something that's hard.

"I love the sport. Last year, I won a world medal [bronze], and I do feel like I am still competitive. Obviously, not this weekend, but I think that was for obvious reasons. At this point, I've been doing it for so long and I enjoy the feeling, so I'll do it as long as I can."