KATE O CONNOR MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST IRISH OLYMPIC HEPTATHLETE

Team Ireland’s Kate O’Connor made history today becoming Ireland’s first ever heptathlete to compete at an Olympic Games. The Newry native competed in two of the seven events this morning; 100m hurdles and High Jump to sit on 1908 points (19th overall) ahead of the next two events this evening.

Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow are back in action at Le Golf National in round two of the women’s singles, after disappointing opening rounds yesterday. Maguire is level-par today through 11 holes, with Meadow also level through 9 holes.

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

The heptathlon comprises of seven events over a gruelling two days of competition. The order of heptathlon competition is 100m hurdles, high jump, shot, 200m, long jump, javelin and 800m, contested over two days. Points are awarded in each of the events and the winner is the athlete who scores the most points.

Twenty-three-year-old O’Connor opened her campaign placing seventh in her heat of the 100m hurdles in a time of 14.02 yielding 967 points. A short time later the athletes were out again in the High Jump with O’Connor performing really well to record a season’s best jump of 1.77m bagging 941 points.

Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow are back in action at Le Golf National in round two of the women’s singles, after disappointing opening rounds yesterday. Maguire is level-par today through 11 holes, with Meadow also level through 9 holes.

Hometown hero Celine Boutier of France was the overnight leader on seven-under, but Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux has stormed to the front seven-under for the day approaching the last.

The women’s individual singles continue at Le Golf National with Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow expected to finish their second rounds around 3pm Irish time.

In the evening session heptathlete Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St. Gerald’s AC) will first head to the Shot Put circle before concluding day one of her competition with the 200m. Her best shot put to date is 14.54m from 2021, and her best ever time over 200m is 24:73 seconds.

After the opening session this morning of 100m hurdles and High Jump O’Connor, who is coached by her father Michael, sits on 1908 points currently in 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.

Athletics, Women’s Heptathlon, 100m hurdles, Kate O’Connor, 7th in heat in 14.08 (967 points)

ONGOING Golf, Women’s Individual, Round 2, Stephanie Meadow, level par through nine holes

ONGOING Golf, Women’s Individual, Round 2, Leona Maguire, level par through 11 holes