Having entered the event with reasonably low expectations, there is no doubt that Ireland performed much better than expected in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this month.

The absence of Rhasidat Adeleke was thought to have ended the chance of an Irish medal, but that did not turn out to be the case. Kate O’Connor would Ireland’s first medal at the championships since 2013 by claiming silver in the heptathlon, while Cian McPhillips came within a whisker of another one after finishing fourth in the 800m.

It was a superb few days for Irish athletics. While O’Connor was the one to come away with a medal, she apparently had some help from one of her teammates in doing so.

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Sonia O’Sullivan Reveals Role Ireland Teammate Played In Kate O’Connor Medal

Kate O’Connor would record personal bests in five of the seven disciplines in Tokyo, including in the 100m hurdles. As it turns out, she got some invaluable advice in that event from one of her Ireland teammates.

Writing in the Irish Times, Sonia O’Sullivan revealed that the Down woman had been getting tips from specialist hurdler Sarah Lavin ahead of the heptathlon.

From [O’Connor’s] first event, setting a personal best in the 100m hurdles, it was clear she was in a great mindset.

We’d heard she had been doing some training with Sarah Lavin beforehand, at the training camp in Hong Kong. Sharing starts, attacking the first hurdle, things like that.

O’Connor was looking for areas to improve, and Lavin is the best sprint hurdler we have, one of the best in the world.

That illustrates some of the advantages of being on a camp, sharing training with other athletes where possible.

As O’Sullivan points out, the ability to pick the brain of fellow Team Ireland athletes is one of the big bonuses of these major championships.

Kate O’Connor certainly made the most of it on this occasion.

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