Kate O’Connor wins European Athletics Championships gold in Birmingham; completes Commonwealth and continental double

2026 European Athletics Championships: Kate O’Connor wins gold for Ireland for major summer double: “I feel like a different person”

Ireland’s golden heptathlete completes Commonwealth and continental title double, earning gold on the penultimate day of Birmingham 2026 on Saturday (15 August).

After 16 disciplines in 14 days , heptathlon’s all-conquering Kate O’Connor earned her maiden European Athletics Championship gold to add to her Commonwealth Games gold just two weeks ago.

In Glasgow, it was her first senior outdoor gold in the heptathlon. In front of a large and loud Irish contingent in Birmingham on Saturday (15 August) evening, she secured the 2026 double of Commonwealth and continental titles.

“ Surreal, crazy, amazing, exciting ,” she exclaimed afterwards.

“Crossing the line and then realising that you’re going to have the gold medal wrapped around your neck is just incredible, insane.”

O’Connor finished with a national record total of 6751 points , 38 above Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Emma Oosterwegel , and 87 points clear of third-place Sofie Dokter . Team GB’s four-time Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished well behind after an injury-hit season.

It has now been 735 days since O’Connor last left a competition without a medal around her neck , when she finished 14th in her Olympic debut in Paris 2024 .

Since then, it has been a different story for the 25-year-old, now a world silver medallist from Tokyo 2025, and into history for a golden summer in 2026.

“ I feel like a different person ,” O’Connor said.

“Every competition has been different, and I’ve been learning so much with each one. I think that every experience has made me a better athlete. I think that that’s why I was able to navigate these last two days so well, because of the experience that I’ve had from every other championship. I think I’m probably in my prime, which hopefully will last a long time. I have a lot of plans and expectations for myself .

“I know I can be better, and I will be better. Hopefully, at the Olympics I’ll have a perfect heptathlon. That would be an ideal time, wouldn’t it? ”

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Gold medalist Kate O’Connor of Team Ireland reacts after victory in the Heptathlon during day six of the 27th European Athletics Championships at Alexander Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Maja Hitij

Getty Images for European Athletics)

Kate O’Connor on European gold: “I could soak up the fact I was champion”

After a 6.55m lifetime best in the morning session’s long jump and a strong showing in her favoured javelin, O’Connor arrived in prime position for Saturday night’s finale at the 800m.

“I had nerves, I’m sure everyone was nervous,” she said.

“I think with 50 metres to go, I knew I had enough in me to just kind of stick it.

“For the last few days, I’ve been trying to be extremely focused from start to finish. It was probably the first moment where I could appreciate the cheers and the roars, soak up the fact that I was about to become European champion .”

It marks Ireland’s seventh gold at the European Championships of all time, just days after Mark English earned his first continental gold in the men’s 800m .

Getty Images for European Athletics

Athletics | European Championships | Birmingham | United Kingdom