Incredible way Madeleine McCann's brother shows huge strength in face of anguish

Since their older sister Madeleine disappeared from an apartment in Portugal18 years ago, Sean and Amelie McCann have lived in the shadow of their family's enduring heartache.

Theirs and their parents Jerry and Kate's pain will never go away but the four-strong unit has continued trying to make the most of their lives while they still hold out hope in the search for Maddie.

The twins were just two years old when their sibling vanished in Praia da Luz in 2007 and have spent the majority of their childhood without her by their side. Despite this, both Sean Amelie have dug deep and proved to be successful in their personal pursuits.

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Kate has previously explained that they all tend to keep occupied the majority of the time, perhaps as a way of managing their torture: "As a family 98 per cent of the time we're busy. I don't know if that's a conscious thing but it helps. The urge to look for Madeleine absolutely hasn't changed at all," she said.

She also revealed her youngest two children love to be active: "They have their own friends and they keep busy and they're really sporty," she said. "But their only wish is for their big sister to come home. We miss our complete family of five."

Sean, who is now 20, has been so successful in his sporting achievements that he is now being lined up for an Olympic career. He is a highly talented swimmer who is tipped to join Team GB in Los Angeles in 2028.

Swimming competitively for over 10 years, such is his dedication to his sport he has regularly taken part in 4am training sessions before school since the age of 11. He also hits the gym for intense workouts three times a week to keep his general fitness levels up.

He shared his passion for swimming on a local website after he won a grant to fund his sport: "At the age of 10, I was selected to swim at City of Leicester, and I have since gone on to win multiple county titles, as well as becoming regional and national champion in my age group. In order to have achieved this, I have had to remain extremely dedicated, getting up at 4am multiple mornings each week to train," he wrote.

Sean represented Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2023 and reached the finals of both the 400 and 1500m Freestyle. If all goes to plan he hopes to represent Scotland at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

He's also known to be a keen Open Water swimmer and is part of Scotland's National Open Water Development Squad. He was recently pictured on a sandy beach with a gold medal around his neck and his arms around two other competitors after taking part in an open water contest in Spain.

His sister Amelie is also known for her sporting achievements - she has competed in numerous cross-country and triathlon events. It's not just in the physical arena that the twins excel though as they are both at university. Sean is studying for a degree in chemical engineering while Amelie attends uni in the north of England.

Their great uncle Brian Kennedy, told the Mail that their mum and dad are really happy they are succeeding. "Kate and Gerry are pleased with their achievements, and the fact that they are making their own way in life," he said.