Drysdale struggles in wake of arch rival

Two-time reigning Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale has finished third, well behind arch rival Robbie Manson, who coasted to victory in the final of the men’s single sculls at the national championships at Lake Karapiro on Saturday.

Manson clocked seven minutes 16.97 seconds, a healthy 4.56 seconds ahead of Jordan Parry, and a whopping 7.96 seconds ahead of Drysdale, who narrowly saw off fourth-placed John Storey by 0.73 seconds.

It was a fourth consecutive national singles title for Manson, who had laid down the gauntlet earlier in the week, winning Tuesday’s heat by 3.39 seconds, with Drysdale second in front of Parry by 0.17 seconds.

Drysdale was earlier this month selected ahead of Manson to represent New Zealand in two World Cup events this year, in what looked a major boost to the 41-year-old’s hopes of competing at a fourth Olympics, this year in Tokyo.

That selection came less than a fortnight after Drysdale failed to qualify for the final at the North Island club championships at Karapiro – a regatta he was understood to have carried an injury into and which Manson went on to win comfortably.

The pair have built up a big rivalry in recent years in battling for the Kiwi single sculls spot. Manson has held that honour since Drysdale’s second Olympic gold, in Rio in 2016, but the 30-year-old has been disappointing at the past three world championships.

Manson has been named to partner Chris Harris in the men’s double at the World Cups, and that duo powered to a win at the nationals on Friday by more than 21 seconds.

The New Zealand Olympic team will be named on June 10.