'I don't know when it'll sink in, to be honest' - Newry's Kate O'Connor seals World silver medal in Tokyo
Newry’s Kate O’Connor finished her World Athletics Championship “whirlwind” with a milestone silver medal in Tokyo and declared “I don’t know when it’ll sink in”.
Podium joy across the women’s heptathlon left O’Connor as a first-ever multi-event outdoor medal-winner in Team Ireland colours.
The 24-year-old was left on 6,714 points, home as runner-up to the United States’ Anna Hall, thanks to five Personal Best times across two days of competition in Japan.
It left O’Connor’s medal haul for 2025 to four overall.
"I don't know when it'll sink in, to be honest," said O'Connor on BBC Sport NI. "The last few days were a whirlwind, I'll probably get emotional soon.
"I've just had the best year ever...the work's that gone into it behind the scenes has been insane."
Following Friday’s three PBs across the 100m hurdles, high jump and 200m, O’Connor dropped to fourth on Saturday following her long jump.
However, with strapping visible on her right knee following that long jump, O’Connor posted another PB of 53.06m across the first javelin throw.
This marked a national record and topped the field to push O’Connor into second on the overall standings.
A closing run over 800m left O’Connor with her fifth and final Personal Best, clocking 2 minutes 9.56 seconds.
"Today was a really tough day, I actually hurt my knee during the long jump so the last two events were a bit like 'put your head down and see what happens'," O’Connor told BBC Sport NI on Saturday. "I've a great team around me that fill me with confidence and let me know what I've been doing in training day in, day out.
"I took one practice throw before that javelin competition and I just had to believe I could do it.
"I'm a competitor. I was always going to fight until the very end and I'm just so happy with myself that I managed to do it."
O’Connor has previously picked up pentathlon bronze at the European Championships, World Indoor silver and a record-breaking gold across the World University Games.
She is a former Commonwealth Games representative with Northern Ireland and took part last summer in a debut Olympic Games as part of Team Ireland.
“It’s insane, words can’t describe the way that I feel or the year that I’ve had,” said O’Connor, as quoted on the official Athletics Ireland website following Saturday’s run. “My indoor season was a complete dream, and I wanted to carry that form into the outdoors…I’ve never come to a championship before and had as much pressure as I’ve had on my shoulders this week, I expected big things from myself and I knew I was in with a shot of winning a medal.
“The team around me have filled me with so much confidence today and it was just pure grit and determination that I managed to pull myself through.
“My expectations for myself changed this year and they’ve probably changed again now.
"I think I’ve set myself up really well for the next three years leading up to the Olympics and I’m prepared to put my head down and work really hard...I’m so happy.”