Madison Corcoran is set to show off her skills at the Vaires-sur-Marne canoe slalom on Saturday, a test of precision and nerve where anything can go awry swiftly. She’ll receive a final piece of wisdom from her dad, Michael, who has represented Ireland twice in the Olympics in the same discipline.
Following her K1 performance, Madison is anticipated to share some tips with her identical twin, Michaela, who will be racing on the same course in the C1 category later on. It’s beneficial to have such an intimate family connection threaded throughout the Olympic games.
There is no scope for any sibling rivalry among the Corcoran twins, who grew up in the United States. They compete in different types of vessels which could easily be misinterpreted as identical.
21-year-old Madison’s expertise lies in the K1 kayak, where she competes seated and using a double-bladed paddle. Michaela, on the other hand, thrives in the C1 category, propelling the canoe forward with a single-blade paddle while kneeling in it, reproducing her father’s Olympic endeavours in Barcelona ’92 and Atlanta ’96.
The sisters earned their place in Paris in contrasting styles. Madison secured her spot in October while Michaela’s participation was settled only three weeks prior to Paris, courtesy of a late reallocation of quota.
Madison has admitted that it was challenging when she was the only one qualified, despite the support from her twin. Kayaking has helped the sisters, who are always together, spend a significant amount of time travelling over the past four years.
Michaela, a single minute older than Madison, has exclusively concentrated on the single-paddle discipline, thus avoiding any direct competition with her sibling. As the only children in the family, they share a tight bond.
Michaela’s initial despair had made her give up hope, but she feels less pressured now that she’s also qualified. She’s looking forward to savouring the entire experience.
Joining them in Paris and sharing this unique bond are Michaela and Aidan Walsh, who made Irish Olympic history in 2021 as the first brother and sister pair to participate in boxing, an accomplishment they are set to repeat at the current event.
The McCann siblings, Jodie and Luke, have secured their spots for their debut Olympics, participating in the 5,000m and 1,500m races respectively. Family connections also exist between golf and rowing, with Leona Maguire being a first cousin to Ross Corrigan, a part of the men’s duo in Paris.
Sophie O’Sullivan, four-times Olympian Sonia’s daughter and a silver medalist from Sydney 2000, will be competing in the women’s 1,500m. Interestingly, there were almost three more pairs of Irish twins competing in Paris. Daniel Wiffen’s twin, Nathan, was close to participating in the 1,500m freestyle swim; however, he is in Paris to show his support regardless.
Robert, Noel Hendrick’s twin, did manage to qualify a boat in the canoe slalom (C1), however, lost to Liam Jegou in the final selection race, making it Jegou’s second games, while Noel will participate in the K1. Jake, Fintan McCarthy’s brother, missed out on rowing, while Fintan still partners with Paul O’Donovan, who had won a silver in 2016 with his elder brother Gary.
In 2016, Conor and David Harte from Cork both played for the Ireland hockey team in Rio. Another set of Cork twins, Denis and Jack along with their brother William, represented Great Britain and Ireland in London in 1908. Over the years, numerous siblings including Pat and Con O’Callaghan and Dick and Pat Hooper have followed their footsteps.
The Corcoran twins, who reside in Washington DC, discuss their father’s remarkable journey to success in America. Madison Corcoran openly acknowledges her father’s achievements; from barely having $500 when he arrived, to eventually forming a prosthetics company with a friend. He expanded the company by working with the US military to provide support for soldiers who lost limbs in war.
Growing up a stone’s throw away from the river, the twins’ childhood was filled with boat rides with their father from the age of five. What started as a fun excursion gradually turned into paddling, eventually becoming an after-school activity without any pressure from their father. As time passed, they became more involved in it.
Life led the twins, despite their shared upbringing, to undertake different academic pursuits. Madison is studying neuroscience at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, while Michaela is engrossed in biochemistry at the University of Miami. Their father has always been a pillar of support, providing valuable counsel, particularly when they felt apprehensive prior to a race. According to them, success in their sport doesn’t only rely on physical fitness, preparation constitutes 60% of it, the remaining 40% relies heavily on mental strength.
Meanwhile, not related by blood but equally committed are Thomas Barr and his partner Kelly McGrory, set to compete on the same track, and possibly in the same event. Both will be participating in the mixed 4x400m relay, with McGrory also being part of the women’s 400m relay. Barr, readying for his third Olympics, previously saw his sister Jessie compete in the 2012 Olympics. He categorically mentioned that the thought of one of them not making the cut would be a difficult pill to swallow. The opportunity to attend and compete in the Olympics alongside each other is indeed special and adds an entirely new dimension to the prestigious event.