O'Connor in silver medal position at World Indoors
Ireland's Kate O'Connor is in the silver medal position in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing with two events remaining.
O'Connor, who earned the bronze medal at the European Indoors earlier this month, produced a personal best of 8.30 seconds in the opening 60m hurdles and a strong performance in the high jump was followed by another lifetime best of 14.64 metres in the shot put.
The Newry-born Ireland athlete is on 2,889 points going into the long jump which starts at 10:42 GMT.
That puts her 78 points behind Finland's European Indoors winner Saga Vanninen who looks on course for another gold medal.
O'Connor is seven points ahead of third-placed US athlete Taliyah Brooks with another American Timara Chapman 80 points behind the Irish woman in fourth spot.
With fifth-placed German Vanessa Grimm 129 points adrift of the Dundalk athlete, the medals look likely to be fought out by the leading four with O'Connor aiming to clinch Ireland's first World Indoors medal since Derval O'Rourke's 60m hurdles triumph in 2006.
O'Connor and Chapman led the high jump standings with marks of 1.81m which was 0.03m down on the Irish woman's personal best set at the European Indoors.
The concluding 800m, which O'Connor won at the European Indoors, takes place at 13:08 GMT.
Healy another Irish medal hopeful
O'Connor won the Commonwealth Games heptathlon silver medal for Northern Ireland in 2022 before producing her major international breakthrough earlier this month in Apeldoorn.
The Northern Ireland athlete's 60m hurdles and shot put performances were improvements of 0.01 seconds and 10 centimetres on her previous lifetime bests.
Andrew Coscoran and Sophie O'Sullivan compete in 1500m heats on Friday's opening day of action in China.
Coscoran has also entered the 3000m, which is a straight final on Saturday with James Gormley running in the Ireland vest, while Sarah Healy will be a strong Irish medal hope in Saturday's women's 3000m final after winning the European title two weeks ago.
Sarah Lavin will be the last of the six-strong Ireland team in action when she competes in the women's 60m hurdles on Sunday after finishing fourth at the European Indoors.
Topics
-
Hunter Bell, Caudery & Azu lead GB World Indoor medal hopes
Georgia Hunter Bell, Molly Caudery and Jeremiah Azu are among Great Britain's gold medal hopes at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.BBC News - 2d -
World Indoor Track and Field Championships 2025: How to watch, schedule, preview
How to watch the 2025 World Indoor Track and Field Championships from Nanjing, China.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Chase Jackson, Taliyah Brooks win bronze medals at World Indoor Track and Field Championships
Chase Jackson bounced back from being eliminated in qualifying at the Paris Olympics to win a third world indoor medal.Yahoo Sports - 6h -
Athletics: World Indoor Championships
Live coverage from day one of the 2025 World Indoor Athletics Championships in China.BBC News - 18h -
GB win three silvers on final day of European Indoors
Great Britain win three silvers on the final day of the European Athletics Indoor Championships to finish with seven medals.BBC News - Mar. 9 -
Jordan Stolz finishes speed skating worlds with two silvers, one bronze
Jordan Stolz made it nine medals in nine career World Single Distances Championships races.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
'Sky isn't the limit' - GB's Azu wins world indoor 60m gold for first global title
Great Britain's Jeremiah Azu sprints to 60m gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships to secure the first global title of his career.BBC News - 4h -
Jeremiah Azu storms to world 60m gold just weeks after winning European title
23-year-old Briton triumphs at world indoors in Nanjing Hunter Bell targeting medal in women’s 1500m final For a man who did not have a senior individual title to his name a fortnight ago, ...The Guardian - 5h -
U.S. takes team pursuit gold, Jordan Stolz silver, Cooper McLeod bronze at speed skating worlds
The U.S. won three medals on the second day of the World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships.Yahoo Sports - 6d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 21m -
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 21m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes charge of first game at Wembley
The Three Lions begin their journey under Tuchel as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup gets underwayYahoo Sports - 24m
More in Sports
-
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 21m -
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 21m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes charge of first game at Wembley
The Three Lions begin their journey under Tuchel as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup gets underwayYahoo Sports - 24m