Drysdale floats idea of rowing for Fiji
Mahe Drysdale is considering switching allegiance to Fiji in a bid to race at the Tokyo Olympics.
The two-time Olympic rowing champion missed out on the New Zealand single sculls berth for the international season when Robbie Manson was selected ahead of him after beating Drysdale in two races in the past month.
The results mean Manson will compete at the world championships in Austria. But Drysdale is determined to row for New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics and wants to remain focused on the single sculls.
If Rowing New Zealand don’t allow him to compete at World Cup regattas, where countries can enter more than one boat in a category, he may row for another country.
“There’s nothing stopping me going and joining a club in Fiji and getting the Fijian Rowing Federation to okay my entry for the World Cups . . . that’s just the way the World Cups work,” Drysdale told Radio NZ. “They are open to any athlete that’s a member for a club in that country.
“It’s certainly something that I don’t want to do but is something that I’d have to look at if it all turns to custard.”
Rowing New Zealand is yet to decide if they will support Drysdale in the single scull or move him to another boat — such as joining returning Olympic champion Hamish Bond in the eight.
Manson, who finished a disappointing fifth the previous two world championships he has contested, said
he had learnt a lot from the past couple of years.
“I feel like I learnt a lot last year and the year before, so every year is a new opportunity to learn. And, yeah, practice what I’ve learnt from the year before and put it into practice.
“I think it’s just working with my coach Mike [Rodger], who I’m really excited to have, and the physiologist. I really trust Mike’s eye with the technique and really keeping them going right through.
“I think also staying in Europe the whole time this year will make a significant difference. And it’s great to be able to stay there for the whole three months and prepare properly for the world champs.”
Drysdale is hopeful Rowing New Zealand will see things his way.
“I’m very hopeful that we can work together and it can be a win-win for everyone, but if I still have to do it the hard way, which is outside the programme, then I am prepared to do that if that’s what it takes to win a gold medal in Tokyo,” Drysdale told Radio NZ.
There’s nothing stopping me going and joining a club in Fiji and getting the Fijian Rowing Federation to okay my entry for the World Cups . . . that’s just the way the World Cups work. Mahe Drysdale