Flanagan sisters hoping to excel after disrupted build up

ROUSKEY’S Flanagan twins, Eilish and Roisin are both hoping that recent injuries and bouts of Covid won’t hamper them too much ahead of their Commonwealth Games debuts.

Eilish, who raced in the 3,000 metres steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics last year, will run the same event in Birmingham, while Roisin will make her debut at a senior major sporting event when she tackles the 5,000 metres.

Unfortunately for both sisters, their build-up has been far from ideal with injury and illness disrupting their plans since April.

“I’ve had a bit of a rocky past few months,” Eilish confirmed. “I haven’t exactly raced at all because I had a small injury back in April when I wasn’t able to run for a few weeks, so it’s been definitely less than ideal and then I got Covid, so it has definitely not been ideal but hopefully come race day I’ll be somewhat ready.

“Things are definitely a lot better now, but it will be a case of whatever will be will be because I can’t do anything more about that but I’m starting to get excited as it’s getting closer.”

Roisin, meanwhile, has also suffered from a bout of Covid, but before that she was in great form, breaking her Northern Ireland 5K record in April and she hopes that performance will hold her in good stead in Birmingham where she is hoping things click on August 7th.

“My season has gone pretty decent but it’s been a bit of a rocky build-up with niggles here and there and Covid, which disrupted training a bit,” she said from their training camp in St Moritz.

“But training is going well at the moment so I will give it my best, put my foot in it and see how it goes on the day.

“This is my first major senior championship on the track, so I’m pretty excited about it to say the least. I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully it will be a great experience.”

While Roisin is heading into her first major senior championship, the same can’t be said for twin sister, Eilish, who is hoping the experience gained in Tokyo will help her find her feet in Birmingham.

“I think having been in that kind of situation will stand to me but there will be a few more spectators in the stands!,” explained Eilish who competed ‘behind closed doors’ because of Covid in Japan last summer.

She continued: “But I’m really excited to get another opportunity to compete on the world stage again.

“It’s a bit of a unique opportunity to compete in the Commonwealth Games, so I’m excited to experience that.

“And with Roisin being there it will be a lot more exciting!”

After the Commonwealth Games, the Flanagans are hoping to race for Ireland at the European Championships in Munich.