IAAF World Indoor Championships: Kate O’Connor leads Ireland’s team in Polish

World silver medalist Kate O’Connor and Irish national champion Nick Griggs have been named in the Irish squad for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Poland.

O’Connor won Ireland’s first medal at the championships since 2006 in Nanjing last year when she finished second in the pentathlon.

The 25-year-old then followed that up with a stunning second-place finish in the heptathlon at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.

In a historic year, O’Connor won a gold medal at the University Games and captured a bronze medal at the European Indoor Championships.

Nick Griggs, who won the Irish senior title earlier in March, will compete in the 15-man 3000m final alongside Andrew Coscuran.

Five-time European medalist Mark English is also a leading name for the Irish team when he races in the 800m at the event in Torun, which runs from 20-22 March.

“They are an exciting team with real medal prospects,” said Paul McNamara, Director of High Performance at Irish Athletics.

“Kate’s achievement in Nanjing last year set a barrier to what Irish athletes can achieve at these championships, and we travel to Poland with real intent,” he said.

“Along with our established performers, it is great to see emerging talent making an impact this season and earning the opportunity to compete against the best in the world.”

Sarah Lavigne will compete in the women’s 60m hurdles, while Bori Akinola and Lauren Roy will compete in the men’s and women’s 60m hurdles respectively.

Maeve O’Neill will make her Irish international debut in Poland in the women’s 800m, while Ciara Neville (women’s 60m), Emma Moore (women’s 800m), James Gormley (men’s 1500m) and Elizabeth Ndodi (women’s long jump) have achieved the ‘B’ standard and are provisionally selected pending confirmation of their qualification by the IAAF.