It’s been eight years since Robbie Manson last competed in the Olympics. But the wait wasn’t supposed to be this long.
Manson qualified for the Tokyo Games, which were postponed due to COVID. Like many people during the pandemic, Manson started contemplating his future, and decided to prioritize his mental health.
Though the two-time Olympian had dedicated his life to rowing, he thought it was best to step aside.
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“This is all I knew,” he said in an interview. “It was really scary to step away for a lot of reasons, because I didn’t know anything else. But I also knew that I needed to.”
It was an excruciating decision. Manson retired at the top of his game, with a World Championships medal and a world-best time in single sculls. He was arguably the most visible athlete representing New Zealand.
Making matters more difficult, Manson wasn’t afforded any time for relaxation. The barrier-breaking athlete needed a job asap, or else he would’ve become destitute.
Shamefully, being an internationally renowned Olympian doesn’t pay.
“I was really lucky I found a job the following week,” he said. “If I didn’t find a job immediately after retiring, I would’ve had no money, so I wouldn’t have been able to buy food or pay my rent.
“It’s hard to have a 12-year career and then afterwards having nothing to support myself,” he added.
After three years away, Manson got called back into the water. His efforts paid off in September, when he qualified for the Paris Games…while still updating his OnlyFans (an Olympic feat if we’ve ever seen one).
With Manson securing his spot in New Zealand’s Olympic trials, Queerty recently caught up with the handsome rower to chat about his comeback, Olympic village rendezvous and his favorite pair of Budgy Smugglers. Here’s what he had to say…
QUEERTY: We’re really excited about your Queerties nomination! It’s super cool to see you pumping up the show so much!
ROBBIE MANSON: It’s cool to be nominated! I figure I’m probably not gonna win it, but I want to try and get my followers and supporters on board. I thank the loyal supporters who have been voting every day. It’s a bit of fun!
You’ve qualified for your fourth Olympics. How does it feel to qualify again?
After taking a break, I thought there was only a limited time I can do this, and thought maybe I [should]
I was a little bit unsure for a while, but by this time last year, I went all-in to try and make the team and qualify. Once we qualify, we’re not automatically selected. We have the trials, which we just had last week. I managed to keep my seat in the doubles. But unfortunately Ben [Mason], who I qualified with last year, has to miss out, which is really crushing. But three of us, we’re really close. It’s exciting, and we’ll see what we can do this year.
What’s your favorite Olympic memory?
They’re very different. In London, I was just happy to be there. I was very young. Obviously you want to do as well as you can, but being there in the Olympic Village, we stayed outside the Olympic Village for the competition, so I guess we were a little bit removed. But going there in the end, being there with the other athletes, being in the dining hall, seeing some of the other sports like diving and gymnastics, was really exciting.
In Rio, we went in with high expectations, and the Olympics just kind of went wrong once we arrived. But still, being part of it all is pretty special.
Uh…somewhat! Thee is some truth to the stories, I guess.
Have you been involved in any of those stories?
Not in London, but maybe in Rio! I guess Grindr just goes off there. I don’t know what it’s like now, but you can change your location to be in other places. There’s a lot of activity there, but not a lot were actual athletes. I think people changed their locations to be there.
But yes, Rio was fun. There were swimming pools in the village with buildings and apartment complexes. It was nice having a pool there, because once we were done competing, we could relax at the pool or go to the beach.
What’s the hardest thing about being an Olympic athlete?
The training, the daily grind. You just have to be on every day. No one’s motivated all the time, but you’ve still gotta do the work. So being part of a team and having a coach and all of that helps you get up to do it.
When I retired, I felt like I needed the break. I was mentally burned out. But I feel like I went through the process of being “This is the last time I get to do this,” and making the most of it. I guess I lost the enjoyment and appreciation for everything. Now, I really, really enjoy what I do every day. My teammates are awesome. But it’s also really hard. I don’t feel like I can do this forever, so I’m just enjoying.
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How have you been enjoying your OnlyFans experience?
It’s been amazing! I’ve gotten some really awesome support on there. The overwhelming reaction has been really positive. I’m walking a very fine line. The platform is known for explicit content, and I’m trying to not cross that line, but also push the boundaries. So I guess it’s a little bit of a balance. It’s been going really well so far.
But the ultimate reason why I did [join] was the financial part of it. In all countries, but especially New Zealand, you don’t get enough money [as Olympic athletes]. I’ve put my life into being good at my sport. I may have gotten a lot of great experiences out of it, but I haven’t gotten a lot financially. When I retired from rowing last time, I finished with basically nothing. This is a way to help fund what I’m doing, and support myself.
I want to set myself up for the long term, so I don’t fall on my face when I retire next time around. I was really lucky I found a job the following week. If I didn’t find a job immediately after retiring, I would’ve had no money, so I wouldn’t have been able to buy food or pay my rent. It’s hard to have a 12-year career and then afterwards having nothing to support myself. That’s what OnlyFans has helped with. It’s a safety net, and helps me while I train for the Olympics as well.
I guess diving really lends itself well to OnlyFans. And I love a pair of Budgy Smugglers as well!
I was gonna ask: I saw a video of you squatting in a pair of OnlyFans briefs…
Yes, I got those Budgy Smugglers custom made. We did it when we were in Italy last year training for the World Championships. Then we did it the last week before Christmas, a team lifting session in Budgy Smugglers, just for fun! The ones I ordered arrived just before we left, which was perfect timing. It’s something we do every now and again to enjoy ourselves: get the Budgy Smugglers out at the gym!
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