Mid Ulster twin sisters Katie and Rosie making an impact on the national athletics stage
Ten-year-old twins Katie and Rosie from St Mary’s Primary School, Draperstown, are following in their older brother’s athletic footsteps and making a major impact on the national stage.
Introduced to running in Primary 5 through the school’s marathon programme led by Nula Breen (an Active School Hero UK Award winner), the sisters quickly joined Mid Ulster Athletic Club and emerged as rising stars.
Recent achievements include Rosie qualifying for the Ulster Cross Country Team at both Under-10 and Under-11 levels in 2025. This year, the twins claimed first and second place at the Armagh International Road Race in February, where they met Irish star and former Mid Ulster Athletic Club member Nick Griggs, who has been named in the Northern Ireland team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
Representing their school, they helped St Mary’s win the Causeway Flahavan’s qualifying round and secure second place overall in the Flahavan’s NI Final, with Rosie taking individual second. Both girls were then selected for the Northern Ireland Endurance Squad.
At the Ulster Track and Field Championships in early June, Rosie became Under-11 Ulster Champion in the 600 metres. Last Sunday, the twins represented Ulster at the Irish National Championships in Tullamore. Katie broke the two-minute barrier for the first time, while Rosie finished an impressive third nationally. Their performances helped the Ulster team place fifth overall.
Now preparing to attend Rainey Endowed School after Primary 7, Katie and Rosie are determined to continue their journey with dreams of becoming professional athletes. Their rapid progress suggests a very bright future ahead.