Kate O’Connor is now starting to dream out loud after moving clear in the silver medal position after the javelin throw in the heptathlon at the World Championships in Tokyo.
In the sixth of the seven events, O’Connor once again improved her lifetime best to 53.06 metres – the best javelin throw of the lot at the National Stadium, with only the 800 metres to come (1.11pm Irish time).
It was her fourth personal best in the six events so far, O’Connor improving her own previous best of 52.92. The 24-year-old from Dundalk now only has to stay upright in the 800m to close out her medal hunt, her podium place now visibly within reach.
She passed on her third throw, saving all her energy for the 800m to ensure she seals that silver medal.
[ In pictures: Kate O’Connor’s heptathlon medal bid at World ChampionshipsOpens in new window ]
Anna Hall from the US continues to lead the way on 5,865 points, after throwing a javelin person best of 48.13m. O’Connor sits in silver on 5,743 points, with Taliyah Brooks also from the US third on 5,662 points.
Britain’s defending champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson has dropped to fourth, only managing a best of 41.91m, while three-time Olympic champion Nafi Thiam of Belgium pulling out ahead of day two.
Kate O’Connor in action in the women’s heptathlon long jump at the World Athletics Championships. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
O’Connor came into day two in the silver medal position before taking on the long jump in Saturday’s morning session. Not one of her strongest events, she produced a best jump of 6.22m, which earned her 918 points.
O’Connor fouled her first attempt and jumped 6.17m in the second, before improving further in her final attempt.
“I’m pretty happy with that,” said O’Connor. “Solid is the word I would use, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t too bad. I think I had a really good first jump and I just broke slightly. My run up was a little bit all over the place but to get a half decent jump in, I’m happy.
“The nerves go from zero to 100. If you foul on the second you’re in a pickle. It was really important to get that second jump in and then it was nice to get a couple of extra centimetres in the third. I’m looking forward to this evening.”
[ Irish athletes’ performance at World Championships allows us to dream againOpens in new window ]
In the heats of the women’s 4x400m relay, the Irish quartet of Sophie Becker, Cliodhna Manning, Rachel McCann and Sharlene Mawdsley ended up in last place in their heat, far off making Sunday’s final.
Becker started aggressively, but lost ground in the last 20m. Manning was seventh at the break before dropping back to eighth and despite the best efforts of McCann and Mawdsley, that was where they finished in 3:29.27.
The USA took a clear win in 3:22.53, Ireland’s time well short of the Irish record of 3:19.90, set when finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics last summer, with Rhasidat Adeleke on board in the second leg.
The women’s 4x400m also made the World Championship final in Budapest, where they finished eighth.
Cian McPhillips goes into the men’s 800m final at 2:22pm, having become the first Irishman to reach a final of a global outdoor championship in this event.