Two eight-year-olds from the west of Ireland are heading to New York to compete in the 'Fastest Kid in the World' race.
Charlie Sweeney from Mervue in Co Galway, and Saoirse Higgins from Co Sligo, are off to the Millrose Games, known as the Indoor Olympics in the running world.
The 55m race for children is a showcase event taking place next Sunday.
Charlie is the pride of his local Traveller community and his school in Galway city
Close to 400 pupils attend the Radharc na Mara DEIS school, which has 28 different nationalities and a high proportion of children from the Traveller community.
Charlie is also a talented young footballer and a serious boxing contender. Now it turns out he is a top class sprinter as well.
He can run 55 metres in eight seconds and is surprised himself at his own swift-footedness.
"I realised I was fast when I got picked to go to Millrose Games. But I was asking meself...am I really that fast? Turns out, I'm the fastest kid of me age in Ireland.
"But it takes a lot of hard work including jogging and sprinting. And my timetable is full and very hard because I've boxing on Monday and Wednesday and football on Tuesday and Friday. Thursday is my day off and I need it to rest because I get very tired.
"But I'm so excited and buzzing now about going to New York. Me and my mother are the only two people in my entire family going and I can't wait. But it's going to be tiring because I'm going on a seven hour flight."
Charlie's nine-year-old cousin Carly-Rae Sweeney and his pal Candice Donovan are beaming with pride and happiness.
"We are so thrilled for Charlie and really hope he wins. He's brilliant at every sport and he deserves to go to New York," says Candice.
Carly-Rae agrees and says she wishes him the best of luck in Millrose Games, but adds: "You know it doesn't matter if he doesn't win. There's nine super runners in his race and he's on a great journey and he's just going to have the best ever time of his life. I wish I was going with him."
'Fastest Feet' was set up in Ireland as part of a talent ID programme by Sligo coach Dermot McDermott and sponsored by Galway man Richard Donovan.
Mr Donovan is an ultramarathon runner and organiser of extreme running events around the world.
Both men are ardent supporters of athletics in Ireland and have developed a strong connection with the Millrose Games.
They both endorse the ethos of "keeping kids on track" in the annual event which is now in its 116th year.
Every year, thousands of eight year olds across the country are tested for top end speed along school corridors and yards.
Radharc na Mara principal Keith Joyce said Charlie's speed "was off the charts" and his achievement is so important for the school.
"You know, to think that we're in the middle of Galway city, we're sending a child all the way over to New York to take part in and compete against children from all over the world.
"I know that Charlie is really going to enjoy this once in a lifetime trip. He's been working very hard at all the sports he plays. He trains in the Olympic boxing club in Westside, he plays football with Galway Hibernians and he plays Gaelic football with the school team here under the tutelage of Galway senior footballer, John Daly."
8 yr old Charlie Sweeney from Radharc na Mara NS in Galway City is the pride of Traveller community as he heads to NY for 'World's Fastest Kids Race’ on Feb 11th @MillroseGames @rtenews @galwayhibs pic.twitter.com/IHFkPdngWc
— Teresa Mannion (@TeresaMannion) February 7, 2024
Mr Joyce said Charlie has great support from his family, who are also involved in sports.
Charlie's older brothers are boxers and are competing in the Connacht Boxing Championship next weekend. Charlie said they get their sporting talent from their father, Des Sweeney, who is also a coach.
Mr Sweeney said his son is great at soccer, Gaelic football and boxing, "but we never noticed he had a talent for running because he always came last. But then we realised that was because he was training with his older brothers".
"That was a wake-up call and the training has really stood to him because he's a little dynamo and passing everyone out now. I hope he runs well in New York for his own sake. He deserves it," he added.
Mr Sweeney said they have been trying to keep Charlie from contact sports for the past three weeks in case he picks up an injury, but it is not easy.
"He's biting his nails and he'll have no fingers left with anxiety levels. It's just he has so much energy and his body just wants to let loose. So we're hoping he does the business on the 11th and we come back with gold."
Saoirse and Charlie will meet six Olympic medallists at a press conference in New York and attend a black tie gala at the weekend.
Irish athlete and three-time Olympian, Eamonn Coghlan, will also be in attendance. The former world champion won the Wanamaker Mile in New York on seven occasions.
The Millrose Games events will be broadcast on US television and Charlie and Saoirse will share the stage alongside Olympic and World champions who will be participating in the Games' senior meets.
