Australian rowing officials leave door open for retiring star

LESS than a week after breaking a world record, two-time Olympic rowing silver medallist Joshua Dunkley-Smith has announced that heis stepping away from international competition.

The 28-year-old powerhouse rower posted the fastest ever 2000m time on an ergo, breaking a 10-year-old record held by Kiwi Rob Waddell. Dunkley-Smith won silver medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the men’s four and also has five world rowing championship medals to his name.

But he announced yesterday he would leave the national training centre and no longer pursue Australian selection to focus on his career and personal life.

“It is something that I have been considering for a while — as I’ve gotten older things have become more important to me and one of those things is spending time with family and with my partner Candice,” Dunkley-Smith said in a statement.

The Victorian said he found it challenging to be based in Canberra, as per the new centralised program, and also overseas for long periods to train and compete.

“Spending time there, with the guys, I see that the group is really on the right track and they are set up to have some really good results, with or without me,” he said.

Rowing Australia performance director Bernard Savage said the recent record showed the calibre of athlete DunkleySmith was. And he said that he would be welcomed back. “While we are obviously disappointed to see Josh step away from the sport, we respect his decision and will do all we can to assist him as he focuses more on life outside the boat,” Savage said.

“I have made it very clear that should he wish to return to the sport, we will support and assist him accordingly when the time comes.”