Twin Charlotte digs that extra bit deeper

Athletics/Irish Schools' Cross Country ChampionshipsWE KNOW athletic talent is at least partly genetic, and that partly explains some of the more impressive winners at the Irish Schools Cross Country championships. Not that genetics explains the will to win so easily.

Such family ties were undeniable as Charlotte ffrench-O'Carroll won the senior girls' title, just ahead of twin sister Rebecca, and Patrick Monaghan won the junior boys' title, just ahead of twin brother Andrew. While their talent is unmistakeable, only their parents could possibly spot their differences in appearance.

Yet given the mud-drenched course and biting wind that greeted the runners at Dartfield estate in Loughrea on Saturday, that will to win was perhaps the decisive factor. We've known for a while that the ffrench-O'Carroll twins share it, as they've already won practically every title in underage athletics.

In fact, one of the few things they don't share is a birthday: Charlotte was born five minutes before midnight on March 4th, 1990, while Rebecca arrived over five minutes after, on March 5th.

The one title missing in the family, however, was the Irish Schools' Cross Country, and Charlotte secured that on Saturday with another narrow win over her twin sister - just like she had done to win the National junior clubs title a week ago.

They're both as equally dedicated to their studies, and will skip the World Cross Country later this month to concentrate on their mock-Leaving Cert exams at Loreto Stephen's Green.

Defending senior girls champion Suzanne Huet took third on this occasion, but with her class-mate Grace Sweeney just behind her, there was some consolation when they led another Loreto, in Foxrock, to a first senior girls team title.

The Monaghan twins hail from St Coleman's in Newry, as their glorious Down accent makes clear, and while Patrick always looked the likely winner, Andrew had to come from behind to take silver, edging out Adam Ingram, from Hazelwood Integrated. This time, St Coleman's also won the team title.

Both the senior and intermediate boys' races may have lacked sibling rivalries, but there was still rivalries aplenty.

Last Saturday, Michael Mulhare from Portlaoise CBS just about held off Craig Murphy from Douglas Community School, but this time the finishing positions were reversed.

Mulhare once again did all the front-running, showing great courage in the tough conditions, while Murphy carefully ensured the gap was never insurmountable. In the final 600 metres Murphy finally burst past for his first schools' victory since taking the junior title back in 2004.

The team race was just as close, with St Aidan's CBS winning their first senior title since 1985, holding off St Malachy's, Belfast.

There was another classic duel in the intermediate boys 'race, as Ryan Creech of Glammire and Jake Byrne of St Joseph's, Rochfordbridge eventually broke away and ran shoulder to shoulder towards the finish.

On the last uphill section, Byrne opened the decisive gap and took the title.

Defending champion Eimear Black, from Dominican College, Fortwilliam Belfast retained the intermediate girls' race, whileKatie Kirk from Sullivan Upper School in Belfast won the junior girls title.