Sporting stars Charlie and Josh Shanahan continue to shine

Sunshine Coast siblings Charlie and Josh Shanahan are proving themselves as names to remember after gaining Queensland and Australian selection in their chosen sports.

Superstar siblings Charlie and Josh Shanahan are making their mark in the football and triathlon arena. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Competition for bragging rights is stiff in the Shanahan household with two siblings fast cementing themselves as a pair of the region’s most talented young athletes.

Josh and Charlie Shanahan have recently claimed state and national honours in their chosen sports.

The pair are both students at St Teresa’s Catholic College with Josh, 17, competing in track, cross country and triathlon events at a national level and Charlie, 15, to represent Queensland in football at the Girls National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbour from September 19-23.

Older brother Josh said he was excited for the coming months.

“The last 12 months have been huge as I ran a time of 8.43 in the under-18s 3000m event at nationals and I also competed in the State Cross Country Championships (fifth), state 1500m (fourth), state 3000m (fourth), Oceanic Championships (fourth) and most recently I had the Queensland 5km Road Championships running a personal best time of 15.12 (fifth),” he said.

“Nationals Cross Country Championships is my next event in Adelaide, a couple of days after that will be regionals track and field and then another week after that is nationals triathlon up in Hervey Bay.”

Josh Shanahan was recently to compete in the National Triathlon. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Charlie, who previously played for the Noosa Lions, joined the Sunshine Coast Wanderers this season.

After a number of trials, training sessions and matches alongside 300 NPL juniors, Charlie was the region’s only player to be formally selected with Wanderers players Ella Schultz (U16s) and Jesse Levenson (U14s) named as shadows.

“It’s very exciting and was great to attend the initial state carnival just to see where I was in comparison to the other top players and to put my name in front of those next level coaches,” she said.

Charlie Shanahan was recently selected in the Queensland Youth Football side. Photo: Patrick Woods.

The deadly striker thanked the efforts of her coaches and teammates.

“Even just this year I was nowhere near the level of an NPL standard but being coached by Nathan (Cobb) and surrounding myself with great teammates, I’ve improved so much by playing in a more serious environment,” she said.

Both coaches said they were proud of the duo’s achievements.

“Josh is quiet by nature but achievement runs through his veins, he’s a very motivated and dedicated young lad and I think he has a lot of potential,” Race Pace founder Peter McKenzie said.

“Charlie is very coachable, she’s a quick learner, very fast, very dynamic and is a very exciting player to watch,” Wanderers coach Nathan Cobb said.

“She’s still only 15 as well so she’s got another shot at it next year and was chosen above some very good talent in South East Queensland that I’ve been seeing for the past few years so it’s very exciting.”