“We’ve had a lot of great girls come through here, and I mean GREAT girls,” said Adams State University head coach Damon Martin about sprinting twins Roisin Flanagan and Eilish Flanagan, “I think they’re cut from the same cloth as those girls.” This year after breaking her own record at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 5000m, Roisin is set to represent Ireland in the Paris Olympics.

The sisters also won a bronze medal in the European Cross Country Championships. Understanding the role of her mentor not only highlights Flanagan’s achievements but also underscores the crucial partnership between athlete and coach in the pursuit of excellence. Let’s take a closer look at the man who made it possible.

All about Roisin Flanagan’s coach and training

Roisin Flanagan is a cross-country and track-and-field athlete, coached by Damon Martin, who has led the cross-country program at Adams State University, leading the program to nearly 55 men’s and women’s national championships. Flanagan praised Martin’s approach, saying, “I think the reason we’ve gotten so much better is because of the training.”

Initially, Coach Martin started them out by running once a day. They then gradually built up the mileage each year, making their paces faster with workouts. Additionally, not taking a summer break from training and avoiding major injuries have really helped maintain strength and improve their performance.

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As a result, Roisin Flanagan currently holds times of 2:06 in the 800m and 4:16 in the 1500m events, both school records. Additionally, she has a time of 4:41 for a mile and 9:17 in the 3000m. She has also participated in five national championships and is all set for the Olympics starting at the end of this month. The sprinter selected for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow has set a personal best of 8:53.02. Currently, she is training under Martin’s guidance to prepare for the Olympics.

Head coach praises the Flanagan twins’ skills

Damon Martin has been awarded the Coach of the Year award over 38 times. He said about the twins, “When we recruited them, their coach said they were under-developed, but that they had talent and would do everything I asked of them.” The coach turned out to be right. Over the years, he has steadily paced the training for the twins so they can truly improve. Martin also praised the sprinters, noting that they have significantly improved the camaraderie of the team. Their presence has helped revitalize a culture focused on pursuing excellence within the group. Eilish Flanagan’s favorite memory was the Men’s and Women’s 2017 Cross Country National Titles, the same as Roisin.

They are open and friendly people who hold team gatherings and host birthday parties. In fact, they even let a friend use their washer and dryer. Martin said, “They’ve really done a lot over the last couple of years to improve the culture on this team. I’m really proud of it.” Under his guidance, trainees have reached an astounding number of 1,275 All-American honors, as well as 130 individual national championships and 10 national championship relay teams. He is assisted by Sadie Baker, who serves as the assistant coach for the cross-country program and as the track and field distance coach. Together, they strive to coach their trainees to excel in the Olympics and other elite events.