Kate O'Connor on course for gold at World University Games

The Dundalk athlete sits atop the overnight standings in the heptathlon with four of the seven events completed.

Kate O'Connor competes in the women's heptathlon high jump during day seven of the FISU World University Games 2025 at Lohrheidestadion in Bochum, Germany. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Kate O’Connor has put herself in prime position to win gold at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – the Dundalk athlete sitting atop the overnight standings in the heptathlon with four of the seven events completed.

O’Connor racked up 3737 points on day one, leaving her 137 points clear of Hungary’s Szabina Szucs, with Austria’s Emilia Surch third on 3552. O’Connor, a master’s student in communication and PR at Ulster University, started the day with a 13.89-second clocking in the 100m hurdles, some way down on her best of 13.57.