Athletics: Twins look to carry Kiwi banner

Kiwi Zane Robertson (leading) does his training at altitude in Kenya and hopes to make a mark at the world championships in Moscow.

Brothers to continue the country's great legacy in middle-distance running

African-based Kiwi athletes Jake and Zane Robertson will make history this week when they become the first twins (and siblings) to represent New Zealand at the world track and field championships.

The 23-year-old Hamilton twins, who represented New Zealand at the world cross-country championships in 2011, are looking to continue the country's legacy in middle-distance running.

Athletics New Zealand selectors named Zane in the New Zealand squad to run the 5000m in July following a race in Belgium where he recorded 13 minutes 13.83 seconds.

It was an eight-second personal best and he qualified under the A selection standard of 13:15.00 for Moscow to join Jake who had earlier been named in the 10,000m for the world championships.

The prospect of donning the black singlet together on the big stage is exciting for the Robertson twins.

The brothers have spent the past few weeks in St Moritz, training under the eye of their coach Steve Willis. Willis has previously guided his brother Nick at major championships.

Zane has had a month to finalise his preparation. Despite running the third-fastest 5000m by a New Zealander, Zane is still considered a novice over the distance. He has run only a handful of 5000m races. He came close to qualifying for the 1500m at the 2012 Olympics, running 3:36.53 for 1500m and 3:56.13 for a mile.

Meanwhile, Jake has had longer to prepare for the worlds. He has a personal best of 27:45.46 in the 10,000m and 13:15.54 (same race as Zane) in the 5000m and is feeling confident about breaking new ground.

"As I've grown every year my training gets better and this year my training has taken me to the best form of my life," said Jake from Kenya.

He set a personal best of 27:45.46 over 10,000m in Palo Alto, California, in April which was just three seconds outside the New Zealand record on his debut in the event.

"It's now just a matter of all the little things falling into place to have a peak performance at the World Championships in Moscow."

Jake has set the goal of making the final in both the 10,000m and the 5000m.

"Hopefully if the 10,000m race is a fast pace then I'd like to break the New Zealand record [Olympic silver medallist Dick Quax - 27:42.35]."

The race in California gave Jake confidence that he was on the right track.

"I felt so easy throughout the race, I was a little upset the pace was not a little quicker as I felt I could have run much faster. So I know I have more fuel in the tank."

Both twins have set the goal of following in the footsteps of the likes of Peter Snell, John Walker and Murray Halberg.

"My major aim is to win [at the worlds] and I have been dreaming about winning the Olympics one day," said Jake.

"This is my major goal. I would also like to break the 5000m and 10,000m national records.

"All these goals in my mind are possible and there is a bit to suggest that there is heaps more to come from me over the next 10 years as I improve every year.

"I'm still considered young in the sport. I feel God has shown me the way out here and I believe that I'm going to become what I dream."