ATHLETICS/European Cross Country Championships: Ian O'Riordangets it all in stereo as he talks to a pair of talented Dublin sisters, Charlotte and Rebecca ffrench-O'Carroll, who look set for sparkling international careers

The future of Irish distance running is about to get a little confusing. Charlotte ffrench-O'Carroll has fast established herself as the most promising junior since Sonia O'Sullivan. So too has her twin, Rebecca ffrench-O'Carroll.

They're identical in both looks and potential. They're Leaving Cert students at Loreto Stephen's Green and they're clearly born to run.

Remarkably, 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 five minutes after, on March 5th.

On Sunday they're running the junior race at the European Cross Country championships in Toro, Spain, and based on recent performances they won't be far outside the medals. Whatever happens, they're still young enough to run junior for the next two years, including when the championships come to Dublin in 2009.

Talking with the ffrench-O'Carroll twins is particularly confusing, as they also share a distinct politeness and openness that make any conversation difficult to follow. Like, where did it all begin for them?

"Actually, we have no running history in the family, or anything like that. We just joined the schools athletics team . . ."

"And started competing for them. We wouldn't train though, just run the races . . "

"Our brother was also a member of a club, and the coach approached us, in third year . . ."

"No, second year, because the All-Irelands before that went well. He tried to get us to join the club. We didn't really want to join at first, but then in third year we did."

At no stage in that conversation was it clear which of the twins was speaking, but they were definitely talking about joining Dundrum South-Dublin (DSD), where they fell under the wing of long-serving mentor Eddie McDonagh.

Their progress was swift, and last February they finished first and second at the European club cross country in Istanbul, leading DSD to the team title.

Last summer Charlotte won the 3,000 metres at the Irish Schools championships, and Rebecca won the 1,500 metres, and they were first (Charlotte) and second (Rebecca) in last month's Intercounties cross country.

Despite all the distractions involved in their Leaving Cert year (and not just the studying) they're hugely committed to running.

"Well, at the beginning I suppose we weren't so passionate about it. But now we just find it so rewarding, getting out there . . ."

"And when you finish a run, it's the adrenaline you get, the endorphins, and that's just an amazing feeling, to finish something hard."

"We're not sure where we see ourselves going in the future. We're just taking it as it comes. We love the sport right now, love getting out there to train. And we couldn't see ourselves not training."

"We also take each competition as it comes. We also train together all the time. In Marlay Park . . ."

"But with the Leaving Cert this year we don't make it over there as much as we used to. So on weekdays we train ourselves, just the two of us."

"Just around our area. We're living around Leeson Park. Just very near."

They share something else, too, in their role model. Last year, Charlotte broke the Irish Schools' 1,500-metre intermediate record, erasing that most famous name from the books.

"That was me, yeah. I wasn't expecting it. I didn't even know what the record was. I've never even met Sonia. She is my role model, definitely."

"Sonia O'Sullivan for me, too."

At 17, their times on the track are hugely exciting, particularly those of Charlotte, who later last summer ran 9:32.04 for 3,000 metres, ranking her the sixth in Ireland across all grades, and then won silver at the European Youth Olympics. Rebecca ran 9:45.83 and was ranked 10th. This, they say, creates a friendly, more than a sisterly, rivalry.

"Well, it is a competitive sport. So when it comes to the race we will give it our all. And regardless, you'll try to win the race. But then in the race you'll always be glad to run together . . ."

"The odd time we'd be talking to each other."

"In the race . . ."

"And then we'd have to remind ourselves that it's a race, and we're against each other."

"Or we'd just run together. We like running together."

"It's good though, because that competitiveness helps us train harder. So we end up training quite hard because we run together, so then in the race it's just like training again, but just a little but harder."

"But we wouldn't be upset to lose to the other. No, because one of us has to win."

"Naturally we both want to win. But, I'd prefer to lose to Charlotte than anyone else."

"You'd still be happy enough, because you'd want the other one to do just as well."

Irish athletics, by the way, has had a tradition of two stars coming along at the same time - only not in this form, which makes the potential of the ffrench-O'Carroll twins all the more exciting.