Sinkovic brothers row to glory again
GLASGOW: Croatian brothers Valent and Martin Sinkovic underlined why they remain one of rowing’s greatest double acts when they took the pair’s title at the European Championships at the Strathclyde Country Park near Glasgow on Saturday.
Romania also celebrated their own dynamic duo on the first of two days of rowing finals at the inaugural multi-sports European Championships with Madalina Beres and Denisa Tilvescu striking double gold in both the women’s pair and the eight.
Romania won three titles but it was the Sinkovic brothers from Zagreb who provided the highlight, adding a third European title to the Olympic gold and four world golds they have earned together over a decade of success.
Locked in a battle of the brothers with the silver medal-winning French siblings, Valentin and Theophile Onfroy, the Croatians powered clear in the dying stages of the 2,000 metres course.
It was, laughed 30-year-old older brother Valent, a measure of sporting revenge. “We said to the French team before the race that we will make up for Croatia’s defeat in the World Cup in Russia. So we made that prediction come true!” he said.
The Sinkovic brothers won their Olympic title in the double sculls but decided to each trade in two oars for one and have made irresistible progress in their new challenge in the pair.
After winning world silver last year in their first year, they came to Glasgow off the back of setting a course record at Henley Royal Regatta, beating the mark of British rowing legends Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent.
“This was our first big championship medal as a pair and we are very proud,” said 28-year-old Martin. Beres and Tilvescu had less than two hours after their convincing pair’s triumph before joining up with their Romanian world championship-winning colleagues in the eight and winning again.