Kate O'Connor in pole position for Commonwealth Games gold 

GOLDEN CHANCE: Kate O'Connor celebrates. Pic: Inpho

Kate O’Connor battled the elements to put herself in pole position for gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday, the Dundalk athlete sitting atop the overnight standings on 3731 points with four of seven events completed.

O’Connor – who was born in Newry and is based in Belfast – started the day with a clocking of 13.54 in the 100m hurdles, which she followed with a clearance of 1.82m in the high jump to go into an early lead.

However, she surrendered that lead in the shot put, which was held amid a deluge at the Scotstoun Stadium, O’Connor managing a best of 12.85m, well down on her PB of 14.70m.

But she bounced back well in the 200m, clocking 24.14 (-0.5m/s) – close to her PB of 24.07 – to take the overnight lead. Her tally of 3731 puts her 49 points clear of England’s Jade O’Dowda, with Australia’s Mia Scerri third with 3560 and O’Connor’s Northern Ireland teammate Anna McCauley sixth with 3511.

“This evening was tough, I had a nightmare in the shot put,” said O’Connor. “I’ve not thrown under 14 [metres] in a long time so to throw 12.85m was really gutting, but I wanted to come out and finish the day off on a good note in the 200m and I’m delighted with that, in that weather. I’m freezing cold, I had about 10 minutes to warm up.” 

O’Connor will contest the long jump, javelin and 800m on Wednesday and gold could be hers for the taking if she performs to her usual standard. 

It would add to a slew of medals she’s won over the past 18 months at the European Indoors, World Indoors, World University Games and World Championships. She will make a quick turnaround after the event to compete at the European Championships in Birmingham (10-16 August).

“I’ll go home, recover and come back and put in a big day tomorrow,” she said. “I’ve got a bit of work to do.”