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The 42

KATE O’CONNOR REMAINS firmly in the hunt for a podium finish in the women’s heptathlon at the European Athletics Championships after running a personal best to finish third in her 200m heat.

Newry woman O’Connor sits second overall after Day 1 with 3,926 points, trailing only Adrianna Sulek-Schumbert of Poland (3,968).

O’Connor ran her 200m heat in a PB time of 23.79 seconds.

Earlier in the evening, she had finished 11th in the shot put with a distance of 13.96m, her final and best effort of the evening.

O’Connor made a brilliant start to the day, her first event in Birmingham being the 100m hurdles.

Kate O'Connor gets her quest for hepathlon success at the European Championships by running a PB in the 100m hurdles - time 13.30 #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/eUqDGVUO2f

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2026

Running in the outside lane, O’Connor clocked a personal best of 13.30 to finish fourth in heat two, and place 11th overall.

She then cleared s 1.86m to equal her high jump PB, adding 1,054 points to her total and moving her into second position overall.

On Saturday, O’Connor will compete in the long jump (10.25am), javelin (11.55am) and 800m (7.45pm).

Clever running by Andrew Coscoran to ensure he makes the final of the 1,500m, finishing 4th in a time of 3:41.86 #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/XbEU8LbCJ7

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2026

Elsewhere, Andrew Coscoran has advanced to the men’s 1500m final after an impressive run, while Cathal Doyle failed in his appeal after falling in the first semi-final.

Coscoran finished fourth in the second in 3:41.86 as the top six progressed.

Doyle went down in the first race, but completed it in 4:36.28 to finish 15th.

Cathal Doyle took a tumble and hit the deck in his 1,500m heat. He did get up to finish the race but felt he was clipped from behind. An Irish appeal will go in. #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/EqZn7fz23n

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2026

Earlier, in the men’s 4x400m relay, the Irish team of Andrew Egan, Jack Raftery, Joe Doody and Sean Doggett ran a brilliant race but finished sixth in the second heat.

They were later upgraded to the fifth due to the French team being disqualified.

A season-best time of 3:01.76 was just half a second off the Irish record.

Egan ran the first leg in 46.4, before Raftery closed the ground with an excellent 44.7 split.

Doody was next up, clocking 45.8, before Doggett finished a highly competitive Irish effort with a strong 44.86.

The Irish men's 4x400m relay team reflect on the European Championships experience, saying that their season's best effort in their heat 'exceded their expectations' #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/odpO956m9B

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2026

The Irish women’s 4x400m relay team finished eighth – and last – in their heat in 3:32.58, some way off the national record of 3:19.90.

Rhasidat Adeleke was absent after her stunning 200m silver on Thursday night, while the team were also without the injured Sharlene Mawdsley in two major blows.

Sophie Becker started with their fastest split of 52.6 after her individual 400m efforts, before Jenna Breen clocked 53.3 on the second leg. 

Cliodhna Manning ran 53.0 to move up to seventh, while Arlene Crossan was eventually picked off as she closed out with an anchor split of 53.86.

- With reporting from Emma Duffy

Written by Ciarán Kennedy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.