O’Donovan brothers together again while sport treads water

Rio Olympics silver medallists Paul & Gary O’Donovan have been making the best of things while self-isolating in a cottage in west Cork since their return from a training camp for elite rowers in Spain after the plug was pulled on the season. Picture: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Paul and Gary O’Donovan have been joined at the hip in the public consciousness since winning silver medals in Rio four years ago, but the pair had been gliding along on parallel but separate paths this last year until the coronavirus thrust them back into each other’s pockets.

The loosening of the siblings’ sporting bond came about last summer when Gary, after some injury issues earlier in the year, lost his place in the lightweight double sculls boat to Fintan McCarthy and had to acquaint himself with life in the singles.