by Perri Williams
Twins tend to attract immediate attention, particularly in the field of sport. When you get a set of twins who consistently perform at a high level, that attention becomes more apparent. Take for instance two young Mayo athletes, Freya and Holly Renton. The Renton twins at 15 years old have already created a legacy in athletics; International podium placings, national medals and a host of championship records, are just some of the accolades adorning their young portfolio. Winning the long jump and 600m at the All-Ireland u10 pairs was their first foray into the realm of national success. However it was their implosion onto the national cross-country scene as nine-year-olds, finishing first and fifth in the u11 Cross-Country in Dunboyne that magnified the national cognizance of their sporting ability.
Born in Liverpool to an Irish mother Phillipa and an English father Bryan, the twins may have inherited some of their parents’ sporting DNA. Phillipa by her own admission loved to run “from the age of five, I was always running, though not always competitively” she said. Her husband, on the other hand, appears to be the competitive one. “Dad is competitive”, said Holly. Bryan Renton ran in competitions, competed in triathlons and that was after spending years playing competitive soccor.
Holly and Freya joined Westport AC when they were nine years old. “We were so excited to start athletics,” said Holly, the faint remnants of her Liverpool accent evident. Freya nodded in agreement. It seems to have been a case of running before they could walk as their mother could not recall a time when running did not feature in the girls’ lives. That winter’s day back in 2019 in Dunboyne, at their first All-Ireland Cross-Country appearance, over 200 nine- and ten-year-olds lined up for their first All-Irelands, pale, nervous and mostly terrified. “We did not know what to expect” said Phillipa, “I remember telling the girls that this was a different level and to sit in behind and do their best”. The reply from Freya and Holly was indicative of the extraordinary strength of their self-belief at such a young age “do you not think we are going to win?” It is that same self-belief that has carried them through so many more top performances since that day.
Only Covid interrupted Freya’s train of non-stop in and out of age cross-country wins. Then there were indoor and track and field victories along with a host of national records tumbling in her favour. The most recent being her 800m and 1500m indoor records. For Holly, there have been plenty of runner-up positions, both in track and field and cross-country. Since 2024, the girls have been selected on Irish teams to compete for Ireland at Cross-Country. This year at the SIAB Cross-country in Falkirk, Scotland, Freya was a clear winner with Holly finishing sixth and the second Irish lady home. While they are unequivocally talented, the girls in no way aggrandize themselves. They are driven and ambitious with clear intent for success. There is nothing they like more than to beat themselves. “My goal is to beat Freya” smiled Holly. Freya’s rejoinder to this banter was a clear and unequivocal “That is just not going to happen”. “One drives the other on” said Phillipa “but behind it all they are the best of friends and really close as sisters”. Their rivalry never descends into animosity.
International Success
Freya has within her first twelve months since making her international debut, won two SIAB Internationals and a Celtic Cross-Country. While I personally see her out of age win in Falkirk at this year’s SIAB Cross-Country as her most significant victory to date. Freya herself admits that it is the Celtic Cross Country in Leeds that she considers her stand-out performance. “I knew Olivia Forrest and Isla McGowan had done fast times and were unreal on the track” she said “so I had to go out hard and keep pushing the pace”. McGowran finished second at the European u18 1500m championships in Slovakia last year. Freya beat her that day in Leeds – despite being two years her junior. Holly was 5th overall was just behind McGowan. Despite being second of the Irish to finish in all three of her international races, Holly’s results are just as incredible as those of her sister. Her fifth/sixth placings in Leeds and Falkirk while giving two years to her competitors speak volumes about her ability at Cross-Country.
Training
Both girls express their love for Cross-Country and the longer distances on the track. This year at u16 they will tackle the 3,000m for the first time, a distance they both look forward to. “The longer the better for us” says Freya with a smile. Holly nods in agreement. Their ability to shine at both disciplines is assisted by their coach at Westport AC Hillary Hughes multiple Irish triathlon champion and of course, their parents Phillipa and Bryan Renton. Hughes along with the girl’s mother Phillipa define their training programme. The girls are part of the Westport AC middle distance group and love their mid-week training sessions with this group. Holly insisting that their 400m sessions are her favourite while Freya loves the hill sessions. “We have a 360m cinder track but soon we will have a tartan track,” said Freya. At weekends the girls run with their parents from home, using the facilities that the local countryside has to offer, from forest trails to the foothills of Croagh Patrick and magnificent beaches. Training can be a competitive affair when their dad Bryan gets going. It is his determination to keep ahead of his talented daughters that has driven his own athletics career as a master’s athlete on. Just last month he finished third at the national indoor master’s 1,500m in Athlone in a respectable 4.26, the same time that Freya ran when she broke the u16 championship record a few weeks ago. “Dad does not want us to beat him” laughs Holly. While being competitive, the senior Renton is conscious to ensure that the girls run at a pace that is appropriate for the session they are doing. I ask about the girls wanting to run faster than allowed. The guilty smile on Freya’s face gives me my answer.
Future Dreams
For both girls it’s not just about beating their Dad that drives them on. Their dreams are much bigger. Holly’s number one ambition is to beat Freya. Beyond that she would like to compete in more SIAB internationals and ultimately get the qualifying times for the European Youth Olympics (EYOF), something they could possibly aim for next year. Then of course there is the Olympics. “I have wanted to compete in the Olympics since I was nine,” said Holly. Freya’s ambitions are somewhat similar. “The SIAB’s especially the track SIAB as we have not had a track international yet” she said. Like Holly, the EYOF and the Olympic Games are on her agenda. One thing I have noticed throughout the entire interview is the use of the word “we” – indicating that they will both be part of each other’s achievements.
In the short term the goals for this year are to stay injury free and medal in the 1500m and 3000m at the All-Ireland Track and Field Championships with some personal best along the way. What about some more national records I ask Freya. “Yes, those too” she returns. In 2024 Freya took three seconds off Emily Boltons existing 1,500m record recording a time of 4.31 seconds. The existing u16 records for 1,500m are 4.30.91 (Aimee Hayde) and 3,000m 9.46.01 (Emily Bolton). Very attainable for the talented Westport athlete.
And it is not just sport that the girls have ambitions for either. The junior cert students both want to study medicine, following in the footsteps of their Dad. “Lots of international athletes have managed careers in the medical field,” said Freya. “And Laura Muir is a vet”. At the moment the intent is to stay in Ireland but at 15 they are young, and lots can change in the intervening years.
Inspiration
It is well acknowledged that parental support is a motivator for success at underage athletics. Both Holly and Freya acknowledge the part their parents play in their success story. And appreciate the involvement of both their parents in their athletic careers. But there are athletic greatest that also inspire them too. For Freya stars like Keely Hodgkinson, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Ciara Mageean are her motivators while Holly aspires to Keely Hodgkinson, and Fillip Ingebrigtsen.
This year’s venues for Cross-County have yet to be announced and no doubt the two sisters will once again be out for podium placings. Both girls had a magnificent race while running out of age in Enniskillen, on a course that most athletics followers applauded. For Freya her favourite course was the Downings in Donegal with Holly loving Santry, where she was just a few hundredths of a second behind Freya, almost beating her.
Youngsters experiencing early sporting success are often seen as threading dangerously on the precipice of that success, where ambition and future dreams can so easily be shattered. As a parent Phillipa is keen to stress that “there is more to the sport than just the victories. We are delighted for the girls to be doing so well. But we just want them to be happy. Happiness is just as important. It is the baseline for everything. We don’t want them to obsess in what they do. There is more to the girl’s life too than just sport. They also play the fiddle and are currently going for their grade 6 exams. Music is important for them too”. The girls played Gaelic football up to last year and as one can imagine they were good at that too. Holly in fact got the Player of the Match Cup on two occasions. However, they were more susceptible to injuries at the sport, and it was this susceptibility that led them to leaving the Gaelic Football last year. “What no one realises” said Phillipa “is that prior to one of her All-Ireland winning races, Freya had injured her Achilles and had not run for seven weeks, keeping herself fit with cycling and swimming during the healing process”.
The girls’ biggest fans are their sister Aoife who at 11 years ago is also involved in Athletics. She adores her bigger sisters and also wants to emulate their athletic endeavours. Jack their thirteen-year-old brother has so far stayed away from Athletics opting for rugby, soccer and Tennis instead.
“I have to mention my Grandad” said Holly with a smile. “He is 90 and he and my granny go to all our races, here in Ireland and abroad. He loves Oak Trees and in Glasgow he found the biggest Oak tree on a hill and hung the Irish flag on it for everyone to see”. Clearly proud of his granddaughters.
It was a pleasure to chat to the two girls and their mother. Clearly the girls love their athletics, are driven and have ample ambition that should drive on their continued success. For now, we look forward to their 2025 track season unfolding, with new markers being laid and hopefully their ambitions being realised.