- Admin
- #1
Emily Gale is one of the nation’s top pole vaulters. The senior at Miami (Fl.) Calvary Christian School is the reigning Florida Class 1A state champion in the event. Throughout her senior year, she has dominated at competitions across the state. In short, she should be a shoo-in to repeat. There’s just one catch, and that catch happens to look, speak and act just like her. In fact, it even shares her birthday.
No, Prep Rally isn’t using a cheesy metaphor about how Gale is her own biggest competitor here. Rather, Gale’s biggest foe is her identical twin sister, Amanda Gale, who finished as the Class 1A runner up in 2012. And in 2013, she absolutely wants to usurp her sister’s spot on the throne.
As noted by the Miami Herald, for the first time Amanda Gale has topped her sister in regular season competition. At two meets during the 2012 campaign, Amanda has won a jump-off to snatch a title from her sister, including the recent District 15-1A meet.
“In some ways it’s hard because Amanda is my sister and I want her to win it,” Emily Gale told the Herald. “It almost makes me less competitive and I wish it made me more competitive. If I am going to win it, I would rather beat somebody else than Amanda. Our goal is be first and second.”
The twins have never let their own competitiveness get in the way of their friendship, calling themselves best friends and nearly inseparable. They won’t be escaping their friendly rivalry in college either, with the pair committing to compete for the University of Louisiana Lafayette together.
That tight bond has been forged over dinner tables and, often, baking in the kitchen. The pair has an Instagram account called Twin Bakers (@twinbakers) and has more than enough talent to make a go of opening up a pastry shop once they’re done with school, if that’s what they decide they’d like to do.
For the moment they have more pressing issues, namely a state title to compete for. No matter who wins, they’ll then go home together and celebrate … perhaps with a batch of cupcakes.
“We’re very close,” Amanda Gale said. “I’ll start a sentence and Emily will know where I am going with it and just continue the conversation. It’s really helpful to always have your best friend at your side. If I get second and she gets first to us it’s like a win between both of us. It’s like we both won the meet.”
Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.