Kate O'Connor wins NI's first Commonwealth heptathlon gold

Kate O'Connor won Northern Ireland's first Commonwealth Games gold medal in the heptathlon on July 29, 2026, at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow. She amassed 6,569 points to become the first new champion in the event in eight years.

The Newry-born 25-year-old, a world indoor and outdoor silver medallist, claimed her first senior outdoor gold and first Games gold. She placed eighth in 2018 and won silver in 2022.

Northern Ireland's last athletics gold at the Games came in 1986, and O'Connor's victory gave the country its 12th medal in Glasgow. She is the first Northern Irish multi-sport gold medallist since Lady Mary Peters won pentathlon in 1974.

Leading with 3,731 points after day one, O'Connor held a 49-point advantage and extended it on the second day with a 1.82-meter long jump and a season-best 52.85-meter javelin throw, moving 258 points ahead.

In the closing 800 meters, she ran 2:10.45 to finish first overall.

England's Jade O'Dowda took silver, and Australia's Tori West claimed bronze. O'Connor's Northern Ireland teammate Anna McCauley finished eighth.

O'Connor entered the event as the favorite following the late withdrawal of England's Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who beat her to gold in 2022.

She will receive her gold medal on July 30 at 18:30 BST.