Gay Olympic rower Robbie Manson and double sculls partner Jordan Parry are setting themselves up well to represent New Zealand at the Paris Summer Olympics.
The duo won a bronze medal at the World Cup III over the weekend. For each of them, the medal meant something special.
“We really wanted to get a medal today,” Manson said after the race. “It’s been six years since I was on the podcim at a world cup, and jordan since 2019. it’s pretty special, especially having some time away from rowing and then coming back.
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Manson had delayed his retirement from rowing to compete at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Yet Manson didn’t earn a spot at those Olympics in 2021, after competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. This is Manson’s fourth Olympics qualification.
It was a tough pill to swallow for Manson, and he walked away from the sport for a while.
Since then, his confidence has grown and he has dedicated himself to competing at the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024.
He got his wish, as he and Ben Manson earned a spot for New Zealand in Paris. Now Manson and Parry will compete for a medal.
Also of growing interest for gay fans has been Manson’s foray into OnlyFans. Various athletes have taken to the revenue-generating site to earn some followers and pay some bills.
While many people view Olympians as gods of society, many of these athletes struggle to cover training costs and rent. Some live with their parents. While countries outside the United States do cover some of these costs for Olympians, the need to cover more is real.
Manson has turned to the platform to use his Olympic physique to pay the bills.
Can Manson and Parry push through to a medal at the Paris Olympics? With his former partner, Ben Mason, the duo finished 11th at the World Championships last year.
A medal? It would be a dream come true — and one the result of hard work — for these two men who have struggled with broken hearts and broken bones to position themselves here.
