Just a day before winning bronze at the 2024 World Rowing Cup III in Poland, Robbie Manson talks to YOUR ex about competing in the Men’s Double Sculls at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
At the time of this interview, we are six weeks out from the start of the 2024 Olympics. How are you feeling this close to the competition?
There is a lot of hard training to come. I want to use the next six weeks to get as fast as possible but also enjoy it. As I get older, I realise that I can’t do this forever, so I need to appreciate it while I can.
This will be your third time competing at the Olympics. How important is it for you to walk away from this Olympics with a medal?
I’m realistic that going into the Olympics, we are not ranked in the top 3, so our chances of winning a medal are slim. In saying that, we still have things we can improve, and anything could happen, so we will be doing everything we can to have our best race possible. That’s the most important thing, and the result will be what it is.
What does it mean to you to represent New Zealand on a world stage?
It is special to represent New Zealand, especially at the Olympics! We want to make the country proud.
You retired from rowing in 2020. What brought you back?
I felt I could still do it, and I had retired prematurely. After some time away, there were some aspects I missed. Especially the team!
Is your plan to retire after the 2024 Olympics? If not, what’s next?
I’m not sure yet. I’m just focusing on the next month and a half. I’m currently 50/50 on whether I will continue rowing. I’m going to take some time off and relax after the Olympics and decide then.
Do you feel you have ever been treated any differently when competing or training since coming out as gay?
No, not at all.
Last year, you began an OnlyFans account. How is that going, and how did you find the reception to it from the public, both straight and gay?
Onlyfans has gone well. Again, I don’t know what the future holds with that. It has certainly helped a lot over the past 12 months, and I’m grateful for that. For the most part, the reception has been positive. I guess there was some hype initially, but then it has mostly died down.
At the time, you were quoted as saying that you were trying OnlyFans because Olympic-level rowers in New Zealand earn less than the minimum wage for the full-time schedule it requires. Has any of that improved?
The funding model hasn’t changed, and it is unlikely that it will. It’s just the reality of Olympic sports, not just in NZ but around the world. This is why athletes generally need sponsorship or other means of funding. I’m not complaining about the situation or expecting it to change; I’m simply finding a creative solution!
Follow @robbie_manson on Instagram and OnlyFans.
