Newry native Kate O’Connor made history today becoming Ireland’s first ever heptathlete to compete at an Olympic Games.

After the opening session of 100m hurdles and High Jump O’Connor, who is coached by her father Michael, sat on 1908 points to lie 19th place overall.

Last year O’Connor finished 13th in the event at the World Athletics Championships but her build up to her debut Olympic Games has been hampered by recent injury.

The Dundalk woman competed in both the Shot Put and 200m in the evening session.

In the Shot Put, the 23-year-old threw a best of 13.79m, down on her season’s best which is in excess of 14m. She was however particularly pleased with her 200m performance where she clocked a season’s best of 24.77, just 0.04 of a second off her personal best.

Summary:

• 100mH – 14.08
• High Jump – 1.77m SB
• Shot Put – 13.79m
• 200m – 24.77 SB

O’Connor, who is coached by her father Michael, currently sits 19th after the opening four events, but has arguably her strongest of them; javelin, to look forward to tomorrow. Speaking afterwards O’Connor reflected on her opening day of competition:

“It started off a little bit rough. The hurdles weren’t really what I was planning on doing but I’m really proud of how I picked myself up and then do a season’s best in the high jump. My high jump has been a bit all over the place this year because of injury but I feel like I got rolling after that,” she said.

“The shot could have been a bit better but it was pretty solid, it wasn’t terrible. I don’t think I lost too much there. I’m really proud of that 200m. It was only five or six weeks ago that I tore my hamstring. To run 0.04 off my personal best from lane two, I can’t complain with that.”

O’Connor also spoke about her Olympic experience so far:

“I came here and my goal was to not have any regrets from all the events and I walked away from that hurdles and was like, damn it, I didn’t take in the crowd and stuff. But from the high jump on I made sure to enjoy the experience and just be me, just enjoy it and lap up the whole experience because it’s another four years before it’ll come around again,”she added.