Latest news with #WorldIndoors
Irish Independent
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Local heroes Phil Healy and Nicola Tuthill lead strong Irish challenge at Cork City Sports
There had been lingering uncertainty in recent times as to the future of the meeting, but it's back on its marks at the MTU Athletics Stadium for its 71st edition. The men's 100m will be headlined by Olatunde, who has a best this year of 10.23 and who will be looking to edge closer to his national record of 10.12, having moved to Florida last year to train with Olympic champion Noah Lyles. USA's Coby Hilton, a semi-finalist at the World Indoors this year, is among his in-form opponents, having run 10.24 recently. Japan's Ippei Takeda, who recently ran 10.23, will also feature, along with 10.17 sprinter Caleb Law of Australia and Bahamian Ian Kerr, who has run 10.14. Healy will double in the 100m and 200m and in both races the athlete to beat is Mexico's Cecilia Tamayo Garza, who has run a wind-aided 11.10 for 100m and who set her national 200m record of 22.45 back in 2023. Tuthill will have lots of support in the women's hammer and she's been in outstanding form, recently smashing her Irish U-23 record with 71.71m. She will take on Australia's Lauren Bruce, Norway's Beatrice Llano and Estonia's Anna Maria Ceh, who have all thrown over 73 metres. The men's 3000m features Australia's Stewart McSweyn, who has a blazing personal best of 7:28.02. The Irish challenge is led by Nick Griggs, the former European U-20 champion who will look to threaten his Irish U-23 record of 7:36.59. Cathal Doyle will drop down to 800m and test his speed against British duo Thomas Randolph and Henry Jonas, who have both run 1:44. Longford's Cian McPhillips will be a strong contender, having run 1:45.33 indoors back in February. The men's mile features several athletes who have run below 3:55, including Australia's Matthew Ramsden who has a best of 3:51.23, and Ronan McMahon-Staggs, a 3:51 miler who grew up in California but switched his allegiance to Ireland in 2023. James Gormley and Charlie O'Donovan should also be in the mix for the home contingent. The action begins at 5.30pm with the women's hammer and ends with the men's mile at 9pm. The event will be live streamed on European Athletics' YouTube channel.
Irish Independent
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I want to turn up and put it up to the girls' – Kate O'Connor says indoor season has put her in bracket to contend
'My whole team focus has kind of changed,' she says. 'In previous years, we've gone to championships and I've looked up to those girls, where now it's a little bit more like I want to turn up and put it up to the girls. 'I think my indoor season has put me in the bracket [where] I will definitely be up there. I think it'll take another couple of years to be challenging for the top spot, and that's ultimately my goal.' The 24-year-old multi-eventer is currently in Monte Gordo, Portugal, churning out twice-daily sessions while tipping away on her dissertation for a master's in communication and PR. O'Connor was a European U-20 silver medallist in 2019 and Commonwealth Games silver medallist for Northern Ireland in 2022, but this year brought her first senior medals for Ireland: pentathlon bronze at the European Indoors and World Indoors silver. In recent weeks, the Dundalk native signed a professional deal with adidas, which helps cover the considerable expense of being a world-class heptathlete. 'Financially, it's definitely getting better,' she says. 'The backing I've got since indoors is on the up and over the next couple of years that'll come into play and see the benefits. Obviously, I'd love it to be more and I'd love to be able to bring my whole coaching staff with me and not have to choose based on budget.' O'Connor wants to become a full-time athlete once she finishes her master's degree in September. 'It definitely helps whenever you have that extra time especially with my event taking up so much time training-wise. There are pros and cons to having something outside of athletics because you never know when the next injuries are in the corner or when things aren't going 100pc well on the track. 'I've always had something else or another part of my identity, which has been university.' Before this year, few outside of athletics knew much about O'Connor, but her indoor campaign made her a well-known name. That comes with certain demands. 'It's taken a little bit of time to figure out what to say yes to and what to say no to. I would probably be a little bit of a people-pleaser and I'd have been saying yes to a lot of stuff, then suddenly starting to feel really overwhelmed and trying to fit training in. 'At the start, I was very naïve, thinking in the three weeks I took off afterwards [that] I was going to be able to fit everything in and then it would just stop and it would all go away and I'd be able to go back to normal. My dad has been a great help, dealing with all the emails, requests. He's been taking the brunt and I've been able to focus on training.' With the World Championships over 10 weeks away, O'Connor has been in no rush to open her season early and will only do so at the World University Games on July 23, where she hopes to break her Irish heptathlon record of 6,297 points and surpass 6,500. That kind of score is typically top six at World or Olympic level, with 6,700 or 6,800 usually needed for a medal. O'Connor has put huge emphasis on improving her speed this year, which she hopes will result in her breaking 24 seconds for 200m, while her javelin PB of 52.92m dates back to 2019 and looks ripe for revision. 'Everything is going well, I'm in the same sort of shape I was indoors, if not better,' she says. 'If you can turn up and your body's in good condition, then I think that anything can happen if you put the performances together.' Kate O'Connor was speaking at the launch of Athletics Ireland's extended partnership with which will run to the end of 2030 in a multi-year six-figure deal.
The 42
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The 42
Kate O'Connor: 'I've had a taste for medals now and I don't want to let that go'
IN TRUE MODERN day fashion, Kate O'Connor found out through social media. After a whirlwind few weeks in which she won European bronze and world silver medals, the multi-event athlete received an Instagram message saying she was spotted on TV. Turns out it was in a BBC advertisement previewing the summer ahead alongside the good and the great of women's sport worldwide. Her dad, also her coach, raced up to her granny's house to rewind the television, record the piece, and send it on. There she was. Coco Gauff, Ilona Maher, Eilish McColgan, Kate O'Connor. 'It's incredible,' she tells The 42. 'It's one of those pinch-me moments. 'When you're winning European and world medals, although I was buzzing for myself, as a sportsperson, you don't really realise that there's a lot of other people that notice what's going on as well — and how big those things actually are. 'Being on an advert alongside huge sportspeople that I would have grown up watching and still do look up to, it's just insane that people are putting me beside them.' It was another high point in a glittering, rollercoaster 2025 for O'Connor. Her history-making exploits in Apeldoorn and Nanjing across a magical fortnight in March are still sinking in, as she thrives in the chaos of completing her Masters in Communications and Public Relations and day-to-day training. 'I suppose no one can really prepare you for what life is like afterwards,' the Dundalk 24-year-old says. A three-week break followed the March madness, the plan to fulfil media and sponsorship duties and other opportunities and focus on athletics thereafter, but there's no sign of things slowing down. It's stressful but fun, and she's enjoying the moment. With time and space, her European and World Indoors pentathlon successes still doesn't feel real. The stuff of dreams, an unforgettable few days. O'Connor can now reflect on a 'really weird time' between the two, from Netherlands to China. Travel, time zones, and emotional and physical wellness all had to be managed. 'I'd come off this huge high of getting a European bronze medal, which I didn't really get to celebrate, because I had to get ready for worlds,' she explains. 'I had never done championships so close together before, so that was kind of playing on my mind. The fact that I was also European bronze medalist was also playing on my mind. 'I wasn't sick, but my immune system was a little bit run down and I just wasn't 100% sure how my body was going to cope or how I was going to perform at worlds. Although I wasn't saying out loud to everybody that I felt pressure, I definitely did. Even during the warm-up, I wasn't sure how I was feeling or what was going to happen.' The rest is history. Silver added to bronze after another string of remarkable performances, as O'Connor won Ireland's first World Indoors medal in 19 years. She could finally celebrate the country's first-ever multi-event medals at major senior competitions. 'That was another thing, I was like, 'Oh my goodness, what if I don't do well at worlds, and then I have to go and celebrate the European bronze medal, but it'll just be a little bit tainted.' Advertisement 'There was all this stuff going on my head, which was all irrational and silly, because whether I medalled or not at worlds, I would have celebrated the European bronze medal. But I think it just made it even more sweeter, the fact that I had the two medals and I was able to celebrate them both together.' Kate O'Connor teamed up with McCabes Pharmacy to launch the McCabes Pharmacy Fit for Life programme. MAXWELLS DUBLIN MAXWELLS DUBLIN This was a phenomenal medal breakthrough on the biggest stage after a stunning rise, and an injection of confidence and motivation for her and her team. 'I've had a taste for the medals now, and I don't really want to let that go. I want to work hard and hopefully put myself in a good position this summer.' An all-rounder as a child, O'Connor joined her local athletics club, Dundalk St Gerards, aged seven or eight. She gave everything a go, but her preferences lay with 800m, ball throw and long jump. While other kids focused on one, or married sprinting and jumping, O'Connor's events often clashed at championships as they were so different. 'Subconsciously, and in a weird way, I was throwing myself into a bit of a multi-event world where you're going from one place to the next, you haven't got much recovery and you've just got to adapt. 'My first moment of ever seeing someone in real life and thinking, 'Oh, this is what I want to do' was Jessica Ennis winning the (heptathlon) gold medal at 2012 Olympics. I was 11 at that stage, and I remember watching her and thinking, 'Woah, she's doing what I'm doing — all these random events and going from one place to the next.'' Around that same time, an opportunity arose to represent Ireland in a schools pentathlon in Scotland, and it all went from there. 'I loved it. I loved the chaos of the event. I loved going from one place to the next, and having lots to work on. I fell in love with the sport. My dad fell in love with the event, and we just kind of learned all the bits together as we've grown.' O'Connor with her father and coach, Michael. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO Michael, a former athlete himself, is O'Connor's primary coach, with Tom Reynolds also involved. The father-daughter duo captured hearts and minds in a beautiful interview with RTÉ after Europeans, the emotion, pride and love shining through with each and every word. The dynamic is a unique one, with plenty of ups and downs, but it works well. 'I think the best thing about having my dad as my coach is that I have someone that's 100% in my corner. Through the highs and lows, I know that he's 100% there for me, and he wants what's best for me. In any decision making, in any problems, I can go to him, and I know that we're going to come to something that he believes is the right decision and I'm obviously going to believe it's the right decision too.' 'A father-daughter relationship, especially in sports, obviously comes with highs and lows. Sometimes arguments can be brought back home,' she adds, though the midweek move to Belfast for college has hugely helped. 'We have a little bit more space, and I think our relationship is just so much better now, partly probably because I'm older. Our communication style is a lot better too. 'But in saying that, it's not a normal father-daughter relationship. My dad and my brother could head off to pub together, our craic is different where it's kind of difficult to turn off that coach-athlete relationship… although, he is my dad, obviously, and it is different at home, he is more of a dad, I can always sense that coach kind of vibe lurking around. 'But no, we get on very, very well. I love having him as a coach. We get to travel the world together. We get to do so many exciting things together. It's pretty cool.' It's not the only personal relationship into which sport often seeps: O'Connor's boyfriend is footballer Georgie Kelly. Formerly of Dundalk and Bohemians in the League of Ireland, the Donegal striker is currently on the books of Carlisle United, who have been relegated to the English National League. 'She's a killer and I admire so much about what she does,' Kelly recently told The Irish Independent. Georgie Kelly during his time with Bohemians in 2021. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO O'Connor picks up: 'In way that we probably don't realise, we probably help each other when it comes to sport. 'Georgie is very, very different to me. He's very chilled. He's a real thinker, whereas I'm maybe a little bit more rash. If something bad happens, I'm like, 'Ah, everything's gonna end!' He's a really good sounding board for me. 'I can just talk through things, and he can help me rationalise things. He understands whenever I have frustrations, he can also understand successes and the whirlwind that life can throw at you after either or. It's great to have him around, he's another huge support.' The buzz and excitement around Irish athletics is undeniable at the moment, and O'Connor is delighted to be at the heart of it. With Rhasidat Adeleke, Mark English, Sarah Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley among the others flying the flag on the biggest stages week on week, the profile and interest levels are ever rising. O'Connor is blazing a trail with multi-discipline representation, for which she is a huge advocate. Her passion is palpable as she speaks about combined events; how it aids the development of aspiring athletes, and how the story grips people as it unfolds on competition days. 'I love multi events. I love the training for it. I love the fact that there's something new every day,' she beams. 'I'm not 100% perfect at everything. I'm not scratching for those 1%s just yet, I'm still making a lot of changes and getting a lot of rewards. 'It's a beautiful event that I love deeply. Hopefully there'll be a little bit more of a pick-up with young people in Ireland. Watching someone win a couple of medals will hopefully inspire a few others to get involved.' With World Championships in Tokyo in September the major focus now, O'Connor will hope to continue breaking new ground. She's currently ranked ninth so nailed on to qualify, and preparations will ramp up through the summer. O'Connor celebrating after a huge shot putt at worlds. Nikola Krstic / INPHO Nikola Krstic / INPHO / INPHO Finishing her dissertation is almost another event thrown in, she laughs, and an overseas training camp beckons before World University Games in Germany in July. She'll compete more in August, while aiming to stay fit and healthy, enjoy athletics and all the madness that now comes with it: BBC ads, role model status, and the likes. 'It's definitely different, and something that I'm still probably getting used to. But it's lovely,' O'Connor concludes. 'You put in so much hard work on the track, and it's nice to get recognition outside of that, and for people to come up and say that I've inspired them, or I've inspired their daughter or their son or whoever it is. 'Athletics especially is such an individual sport, you're by yourself a lot and when you're competing, it's all for you. When you realise the knock-on effect that it can have on other people, that kind of just makes it even that little bit more worth it. 'It's something I probably won't really realise until I've retired or finished with sport, the effect that it will have — and hopefully the long lasting effect. Hopefully there'll be lots more that will happen over the next couple years.' **** Kate O'Connor teamed up with McCabes Pharmacy to launch the McCabes Pharmacy Fit for Life programme. To join the McCabes Pharmacy Fit for Life Programme or to find your nearest participating club, visit and for more information on McCabes Pharmacy, visit
The Advertiser
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Sprint sensation Kennedy breaks magical 10-second mark
Sprint sensation Lachlan Kennedy has joined one of Australian sport's most exclusive clubs as just the second Aussie to legally better the 10-second barrier for the 100m. Competing at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday night (Sunday AEST), Kennedy claimed the win against a strong field, stopping the clock at 9.98 seconds with the aid of a slight 0.7m tailwind. Teen sensation Gout Gout and Rohan Browning have also recently threatened to go sub-10 on multiple occasions, but it's the 21-year-old Kennedy who has reached the magic milestone first. The only other Australian to achieve the celebrated feat was national record holder Patrick Johnson, who ran a sizzling 9.93 in Mito, Japan in 2003. "I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super-stoked to get the win and the time," Kennedy said. "It's so good. I can finally say I have run nine! "I haven't wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually." Kennedy relegated Paris Olympics relay silver medallist Bayanda Walaza from South Africa (10.03) and hometown hero Ferdinand Omanyala (10.07) to the minor placings. "The crowd was nuts out there. I think there was early movement from someone in the first part of the race, but it actually did me good. It settled the nerves so I was pretty confident out there today," Kennedy said. "I didn't think a nine was realistic until a couple of years ago. When I was still playing rugby but starting to train and realising I had some speed, I made it the goal." Kennedy first shot to international prominence when he pocketed silver in the 60m at the World Indoors in China in March. The main target for him and his friendly rival and fellow Queenslander Gout this year is the world championships in Tokyo in September. "I'm getting better with every race," said Kennedy. "It's an advantage to have a long season at home. "I'm not getting tired, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the world championships." Kennedy and Gout are both scheduled to race the 200m in the prestigious Ostrava Golden Spike Mett in the Czech Republic on June 24. Sprint sensation Lachlan Kennedy has joined one of Australian sport's most exclusive clubs as just the second Aussie to legally better the 10-second barrier for the 100m. Competing at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday night (Sunday AEST), Kennedy claimed the win against a strong field, stopping the clock at 9.98 seconds with the aid of a slight 0.7m tailwind. Teen sensation Gout Gout and Rohan Browning have also recently threatened to go sub-10 on multiple occasions, but it's the 21-year-old Kennedy who has reached the magic milestone first. The only other Australian to achieve the celebrated feat was national record holder Patrick Johnson, who ran a sizzling 9.93 in Mito, Japan in 2003. "I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super-stoked to get the win and the time," Kennedy said. "It's so good. I can finally say I have run nine! "I haven't wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually." Kennedy relegated Paris Olympics relay silver medallist Bayanda Walaza from South Africa (10.03) and hometown hero Ferdinand Omanyala (10.07) to the minor placings. "The crowd was nuts out there. I think there was early movement from someone in the first part of the race, but it actually did me good. It settled the nerves so I was pretty confident out there today," Kennedy said. "I didn't think a nine was realistic until a couple of years ago. When I was still playing rugby but starting to train and realising I had some speed, I made it the goal." Kennedy first shot to international prominence when he pocketed silver in the 60m at the World Indoors in China in March. The main target for him and his friendly rival and fellow Queenslander Gout this year is the world championships in Tokyo in September. "I'm getting better with every race," said Kennedy. "It's an advantage to have a long season at home. "I'm not getting tired, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the world championships." Kennedy and Gout are both scheduled to race the 200m in the prestigious Ostrava Golden Spike Mett in the Czech Republic on June 24. Sprint sensation Lachlan Kennedy has joined one of Australian sport's most exclusive clubs as just the second Aussie to legally better the 10-second barrier for the 100m. Competing at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday night (Sunday AEST), Kennedy claimed the win against a strong field, stopping the clock at 9.98 seconds with the aid of a slight 0.7m tailwind. Teen sensation Gout Gout and Rohan Browning have also recently threatened to go sub-10 on multiple occasions, but it's the 21-year-old Kennedy who has reached the magic milestone first. The only other Australian to achieve the celebrated feat was national record holder Patrick Johnson, who ran a sizzling 9.93 in Mito, Japan in 2003. "I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super-stoked to get the win and the time," Kennedy said. "It's so good. I can finally say I have run nine! "I haven't wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually." Kennedy relegated Paris Olympics relay silver medallist Bayanda Walaza from South Africa (10.03) and hometown hero Ferdinand Omanyala (10.07) to the minor placings. "The crowd was nuts out there. I think there was early movement from someone in the first part of the race, but it actually did me good. It settled the nerves so I was pretty confident out there today," Kennedy said. "I didn't think a nine was realistic until a couple of years ago. When I was still playing rugby but starting to train and realising I had some speed, I made it the goal." Kennedy first shot to international prominence when he pocketed silver in the 60m at the World Indoors in China in March. The main target for him and his friendly rival and fellow Queenslander Gout this year is the world championships in Tokyo in September. "I'm getting better with every race," said Kennedy. "It's an advantage to have a long season at home. "I'm not getting tired, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the world championships." Kennedy and Gout are both scheduled to race the 200m in the prestigious Ostrava Golden Spike Mett in the Czech Republic on June 24.
West Australian
31-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Sprint sensation Kennedy breaks magical 10-second mark
Sprint sensation Lachlan Kennedy has joined one of Australian sport's most exclusive clubs as just the second Aussie to legally better the 10-second barrier for the 100m. Competing at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday night (Sunday AEST), Kennedy claimed the win against a strong field, stopping the clock at 9.98 seconds with the aid of a slight 0.7m tailwind. Teen sensation Gout Gout and Rohan Browning have also recently threatened to go sub-10 on multiple occasions, but it's the 21-year-old Kennedy who has reached the magic milestone first. The only other Australian to achieve the celebrated feat was national record holder Patrick Johnson, who ran a sizzling 9.93 in Mito, Japan in 2003. "I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super-stoked to get the win and the time," Kennedy said. "It's so good. I can finally say I have run nine! "I haven't wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually." Kennedy relegated Paris Olympics relay silver medallist Bayanda Walaza from South Africa (10.03) and hometown hero Ferdinand Omanyala (10.07) to the minor placings. "The crowd was nuts out there. I think there was early movement from someone in the first part of the race, but it actually did me good. It settled the nerves so I was pretty confident out there today," Kennedy said. "I didn't think a nine was realistic until a couple of years ago. When I was still playing rugby but starting to train and realising I had some speed, I made it the goal." Kennedy first shot to international prominence when he pocketed silver in the 60m at the World Indoors in China in March. The main target for him and his friendly rival and fellow Queenslander Gout this year is the world championships in Tokyo in September. "I'm getting better with every race," said Kennedy. "It's an advantage to have a long season at home. "I'm not getting tired, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the world championships." Kennedy and Gout are both scheduled to race the 200m in the prestigious Ostrava Golden Spike Mett in the Czech Republic on June 24.
