#212 Diarmuid O'Connor // Life as a heptathlete, from Cork to Uconn

On episode 212 I am delighted to be joined by Irish and UCONN hepathlete Diarmuid O’Connor. He is Ireland’s leading multi event men's athlete currently in his final year at UCONN.  We recorded court side at Gampbell Pavillion on campus to discuss his career, his journey to the states, life as a multi-eventer, training at home vs USA, UCONN, injuries, potential and Katie Taylor. Take a look at his career below!Diarmuid is originally from west Cork and played multiple sports growing up. This led into his athletic career where he would choose the heptathlon.  He would train and compete for Old Abbey AC before transferring to Bandon AC. The sport ran in his family as his cousin Brian Lynch, was also a multi-eventer who competed in the u18 European Championships in 2018. A talented teenager he qualified for the European Youth Olympics in Baku back in 2019, where he finished 6th.While he won the Irish U20 Decathlon championships in September 202O with a total of 6,807 points, things had just not yet clicked with him. However, in June 2021 at an international multi-events competition in Tenerife, he qualified for the European u20 championships and finished 4th overall Additionally he set a new Irish u20 record of 7.604 points obliterating Barry Walsh’s mark that had stood for 36 years.He originally attended Texas Tech however was suffered multiple injuries and as a result returned home. Following a 3 month stint in Belgium training with a pro group he returned to the United States and this time to Connecticut. At the Big East championships in Villanova, following a 3 year break from competing, he he won the competition with a total of 7,610 points and set a new National U23 record, one that was 22 years standing. It was regarded as the best performance by an Irish athlete in the decathlon for over 30 years at the time. O'Connor took home the top spot in the 2024 BIG EAST Outdoor Championships in the decathlon, with a score of 7,610 points... Qualified for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, finishing 13th in decathlon at 7,546 points, earning second team All-American status.In 2025 he was named NCAA Second Team All-American, placing 15th in decathlon with 7,580 points. https://www.trackathletes.ie/athlete/diarmuidoconnor_16134/Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels and the host Orla here: https://linktr.ee/TheSidelineLiveRecorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBandIntro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠