Winter Olympics: Ice-dancing brother and sister team John and Sinead Kerr will give it their all – there is simply no argument

SIBLINGS in most families could challenge for Olympic gold, silver and bronze in advanced-level bickering.

But ice dancer Sinead Kerr – less than a year older than her brother John – claims familiarity rarely breeds contempt.

"We argue but we don't take arguments very personally, as couples who are romantically involved might do," she says.

"Sometimes we talk over the top of each other and finish each other's sentences but we don't fight on ice very often. We haven't got long in this sport and we don't have time to waste arguing."

In Turin four years ago the Kerrs, from West Lothian, announced their potential with tenth-place – and insisted their time would come in Vancouver. They have since claimed their first international medal – a bronze at last year's European Championships– and qualified for this season's ISU Grand Prix Final for the first time.

The unfailingly well-mannered Kerrs, with their pearly-white teeth and beaming smiles, already boast a loyal following of fans. But they acknowledge that, unlike Turin, this is their time to deliver. However, it remains to be seen whether their reputation for risk-taking will be rewarded by figure skating's judges, a notoriously picky breed among whom infighting and rabid nationalism has long been rife.

Choice of music has become the Kerr's trademark. They've previously skated a routine to Justin Timberlake, throwing in some stylistic moves from the movie The Matrix for good measure.

In Turin, they based their free skate to the sound of five-piece Scottish ceilidh band the Porridge Men and in Vancouver they'll perform to metal rockers Linkin Park.

"We feel like it would have been more of a risk to change things," said John. "Certain pairs become renowned for different things and we are renowned for the different types of music we use compared to other pairs. I think we'd be cheating ourselves and cheating the audience if we were to change it, whether it was an Olympic year or not. We've always felt like we want to be skating to something we believe in and love. I think the audiences have come to expect something different from us and we enjoy providing it.

"We could go out there and perform a routine to something different – like Carmen – but it just wouldn't suit us."

Opening event: Compulsory Dance: Saturday, 20 February, 12.45am (GMT)