PHOTOGRAPHY RED BULL
Rowing interviews aren’t usually giggly, but with Valent and Martin Sinkovic grinning at the other end of a Skype connection, it’s hard not to smile back. The Croatian world champion double scullers are a cheerful duo, who thoroughly enjoy the media side of being rowing superstars. Brothers, one year apart, and together in the sport for the last fifteen years, they are a cheeky double act who chip in on each other’s sentences and give off an infectious enthusiasm. Last season their Twitter hashtag, #BrotoRio, became ubiquitous around the rowing tweetsphere, while their comment after winning their second world title, "We can runaway from others, but GOLD can’t runaway from us!!" summed up the naughty bravado which in others would be considered arrogant.
Introductions first, for those who have only ever seen them in fraternal unison winning doubles medals or as part of the insanely good Croatian quad of the previous Olympiad. Valent has the dark hair, a bit of vague stubble, and the deeper voice, as befits an older brother. Martin has a higher, quirkier voice, and combines a vicious go-faster buzz cut with that recognisable goatee.