KATE O’CONNOR enjoyed the ‘madness’ after claiming Ireland’s first World Indoor Athletics medal since 2006.
The Dundalk ace won silver in the pentathlon in China just 12 days after clinching European Indoor bronze.
O’Connor, 24, produced a stunning performance of 4,742 points — setting three personal bests on the way — as she earned Ireland’s first podium since Derval O’Rourke’s gold in the 60m hurdles 19 years ago.
She beamed: “I’ve just been on a bit of a run since the European Championships.
“I really wanted to come in here with a bit of confidence and just go out there and enjoy myself.
“I’ve been training really hard and I wanted to go out there and make my country proud.
“It was really tough to come here from Apeldoorn. There was a huge time zone difference, so it was a challenge.
“There are a lot of European girls here today, so we were all in the same boat.
“The feeling I have right now is relief, madness. I’m just so happy.
“Winning this medal and the medal a couple of weeks ago will really push multi events forward in the country and let younger athletes see what other options are available to them in athletics.”
O’Connor — who finished 14th in the heptathlon at the Olympic Games last year — got the competition off to a flying start with a personal best of 8.30sec in the 60m hurdles, which she followed with a 1.81m clearance in the high jump.
A second PB came in the shot put, as she threw 14.64m.
The afternoon session saw O’Connor open with a personal best of 6.30m in the first of her attempts in the long jump, before going on to better the mark in the second round with a leap of 6.32m.
The final 800m event saw her reproduce another outstanding track performance, crossing the finish in a time of 2:14.19 which guaranteed her place on the podium.
Finland’s Saga Vanninen took gold with 4,821 points, with bronze going to USA’s Taliyah Brooks who got 4,669.
O’Connor is only the seventh Irish athlete to medal individually at a World Indoor Championships, following Marcus O’Sullivan, Paul Donovan, Frank O’Mara, Sonia O’Sullivan, Paul McKee and O’Rourke.
Meanwhile, Sophie O’Sullivan finished sixth in the heats of the women’s 1500m and failed to advance, while Andrew Coscoran also missed out after finishing third in his heat in the men’s 1500m.
Coscoran is back in action at 11.33am in the final of the 3,000m alongside team-mate James Gormley.
European champ Sarah Healy lines up in the women’s 3,000m final at 11.15am.
Her season’s best of 8:30.79 ranks her fourth in the field.
