Damir Martin

Damir Martin, born on July 14, 1988, in Vukovar, Croatia, comes from a family deeply rooted in rowing, a traditional sport in his hometown. His early life was marked by displacement due to the Siege of Vukovar, which led his family to relocate to Zagreb, Austria, and Germany before returning to Zagreb in 1995. Martin initially pursued swimming for four years before transitioning to rowing at the age of 12, a decision that would define his professional career. By age 17, his talent and dedication earned him a spot on the Croatian national rowing team.

Martin’s rowing career is distinguished by a series of significant achievements at the highest levels of competitive rowing. He secured his first European Championships medal in 2010, winning silver in the men’s quadruple sculls. The same year, his quartet achieved their first World Championship title, followed by a bronze in 2011. A pivotal moment came at the 2012 London Olympics, where he earned a silver medal in the men’s quadruple sculls. He continued his dominance in quadruple sculls, winning a second World Championship title in 2013.

Transitioning to single sculls, Martin continued his success, capturing European Championship titles in 2015 and 2016. His performance at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics saw him win a silver medal in the men’s single sculls, a race decided by a photo finish. He added another European silver in 2017 and earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men’s single sculls. Most recently, he competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, placing eleventh in the men’s single sculls. Throughout his career, Martin has also accumulated numerous World Rowing Cup victories, demonstrating consistent excellence in the sport as a member of VK Croatia, and previously, clubs Zagreb and Trešnjevka.