Mahé Drysdale
Mahé Drysdale | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mayor of Tauranga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 2 August 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Jen Scoular | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Vacant[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 November 1978 Melbourne,Victoria,Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 2.00 m (6 ft6+1⁄2in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 99 kg (218 lb; 15.6 st)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Alexander Mahé Owens DrysdaleMNZM(born 19 November 1978)[3]is a New Zealand politician and retiredrower.Drysdale is a two-time Olympic champion and a five-time world champion in thesingle sculls.He is a seven-time New Zealand national champion and five-time recipient ofNew Zealand Sportsman of the Year.He is the current mayor of Tauranga.
Early life and background
[edit]Born in Australia to New Zealand parents, Mahé was named after thelargest islandin theSeychelles.[4]He attendedTauranga Boys' CollegeinTauranga,New Zealand, then theUniversity of Auckland[5]where he took up rowing at the age of 18. He initially gave up rowing to concentrate on his studies, but resumed after watching fellow New ZealanderRob Waddellwin gold at the 2000 Olympic Games.[6]Drysdale rowed fromWest End Rowing Clubin Avondale,Auckland,New Zealand, and is also a member of theTideway Scullers School,London.
Rowing
[edit]World Championships
[edit]Drysdale first represented New Zealand at theRowing World CupIII in 2002, in the New Zealand coxless four. After the 2004 Olympic Games, where his New Zealand crew finished fifth in the final, Drysdale switched to the single scull. He won his first World Championship title at the2005 World Rowing ChampionshipsatGifu,Japan, despite having broken two vertebrae in a crash with a water skier earlier in the year.[7]
He successfully defended his title in 2006 atDorney Lake,Dorney,England, in 2007 atOberschleißheim,Germany, and again in 2009 inPoznań,Poland, holding offBritain'sAlan Campbelland the Czech Republic'sOndřej Synek.At the2009 World Rowing Championships,he beat his own world best time in the single, lowering it to 6:33.35.[8]As of 2021 that time stands as the best time at a World Rowing Championship[9]but it was beaten in 2017 by his countrymanRobbie Mansonfor the newmen's single scull world record.
Olympic Games
[edit]At his first Olympic Games, in 2004, Drysdale was part of the New Zealand coxless four team that finished fifth.[10]
Drysdale was officially selected as New Zealand's Olympic heavyweight sculler for theBeijing Olympicson 7 March 2008. He was also chosen tocarry the flag for New Zealandduring the parade of nations in theopening ceremony.[11] Unfortunately for Drysdale, a severe gastrointestinal infection in the week before his final saw him off form[12]and he was only able to win thebronze medalin the men'ssingle scull.Thegoldandsilvermedals went toOlaf Tuftefrom Norway andOndřej Synekfrom the Czech Republic, respectively. Clearly suffering from his illness, after his race Drysdale was carried by life raft and then moved to a waitingambulance.He was also seen vomiting. He was, however, able to stand to be awarded his medal.
At the2012 Summer OlympicsDrysdale won the gold medal in the men'ssingle sculls,despite throwing up the morning of race day due to nervousness.[13]He has since been dethroned, and had to settle with silver in the world championships leading up to the 2016 Olympics, each time bested by the CzechOndřej Synek,who won the WC in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
At the2016 Summer Olympics,Drysdale successfully defended his Olympic men's single sculls title, taking the gold medal over Croatia'sDamir Martin.The race was decided by a photo finish, with Drysdale edging out Martin by half a bow ball.[14]In November 2016, Drysdale announced that he would take a break from rowing in 2017.[15]He returned to the New Zealand squad at the end of 2017 with a view of competing at the2020 Tokyo Olympics.[16]
After losing out toJordan Parryin selection for the single scull at the rearranged 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Drysdale announced his retirement from international rowing in June 2021.[17]
New Zealand national championships
[edit]Drysdale won the gold medal six times in single sculls at the New Zealand national championships through 2010.[18]In 2011, he won the silver medal in single sculls at the New Zealand National Rowing Championships atLake RuataniwhainTwizel,losing toNathan Cohenby two lengths.[18]He reclaimed the national title in 2012, where Cohen took second.[19]He did not compete in 2013.[20]
Other
[edit]In 2018, he won a sixthDiamond Challenge Scullstitle (the premier event for single sculls) at theHenley Royal Regatta.[21]
Canoe polo
[edit]Drysdale has also represented New Zealand in canoe polo as a junior.[4]He represented NZ in an under-18 team that toured to Fiji. Later he was a NZ under-21 representative that toured to Tonga. In 1999–2000 he was executive of NZ Canoe Polo.[citation needed]
Awards
[edit]Drysdale has won the Sportsman of the Year award at theHalberg Awardson five occasions (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2016).[22]He is the only New Zealander to have won the award more than three times.[23]In 2006 he also won the Halberg Supreme Prize.
He won theUniversity of AucklandYoung Alumnus of the Year Award in 2007,[24]and was awarded Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rowing in the2009 New Year Honours.[25]
Politics
[edit]On 19 May 2024, Drysdale announced his candidacy for mayor of his home city of Tauranga.[26]On20 July 2024,Drysdale was elected as mayor,[27]and was sworn in on 2 August. Jen Scoular became deputy mayor.[28]
Personal life
[edit]Drysdale married fellow rower and Olympic bronze medallistJuliette Haighin September 2013.[29]They have one daughter, born in October 2014.[30]
Drysdale is cousin toRose Keddell,a member of theNew Zealand women's hockey team.[31]His younger brother,Peter,is a cricketer.[32]His grandfather,Bob Owens,served as mayor of Tauranga from 1968 to 1977.[28]
Notes
[edit]- ^Replaced acrown commission,post was last held by Tenby Powell
References
[edit]- ^"Mahe Drysdale".olympic.org.nz.New Zealand Olympic Committee.Retrieved7 August2016.
- ^"Mahe Drysdale".worldrowing.com.International Rowing Federation.Retrieved7 August2016.
- ^"Mahe Drysdale".New Zealand Olympic Committee.Retrieved30 June2017.
- ^abRattue, Chris (10 September 2005)."Rowing: Stubborn streak runs in Drysdale's blood".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved31 May2010.
- ^"Chch City Libraries".Christchurchcitylibraries.com.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^"Halber sports awards biography pdf"(PDF).Powerupdates.com. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 27 September 2007.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^Geenty, Mark (6 September 2005)."Rowing: From numb to sensation".The New Zealand Herald.NZPA.Retrieved19 October2011.
- ^"World Best Times".Worldrowing.com.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^World's Best Times at World Rowing
- ^"Mahe Drysdale at sports-reference.com".www.sports-reference.com.Archived fromthe originalon 30 October 2014.Retrieved29 October2014.
- ^AP,Newstalk ZB,NZ Heraldstaff (8 August 2008)."Drysdale, Beijing ready for big night out".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved9 August2008.
{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^The New Zealand Heraldstaff (16 August 2008)."Back from the brink and bound for glory".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved16 August2008.
- ^Drysdale starts golden day throwing up
- ^"Rio Olympics 2016: Mahe Drysdale powers to back-to-back single sculls golds".Stuff.co.nz. 14 August 2016.Retrieved14 August2016.
- ^"Rowing pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray put golden partnership on hold".The New Zealand Herald.18 November 2016.Retrieved20 November2016.
- ^Anderson, Ian (23 November 2017)."World champions remain absent".The Press.p. B8.Retrieved24 November2017.
- ^Anderson, Ian."New Zealand's dual Olympic rowing gold medallist Mahe Drysdale retires".stuff.co.nz.Retrieved11 June2021.
- ^ab"Cohen takes national sculls crown off Drysdale".TVNZ. 19 February 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2013.Retrieved17 August2015.
- ^Kashka Tunstall (18 February 2012)."Rowing | Drysdale reclaims national title at Karapiro..."Stuff.co.nz.Retrieved2 November2013.
- ^"World Rowing • News".Worldrowing.com. 26 February 2013.Retrieved2 November2013.
- ^"Diamond Challenge Sculls, List of past winners".Henley Royal Regatta.Retrieved5 July2023.
- ^NZPA (15 February 2007)."Drysdale captures supreme Halberg Award".New Zealand Herald.Retrieved22 February2009.
- ^Burgess, Michael (9 February 2017)."Lisa Carrington queen of sport with Halberg Awards wins".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved9 February2017.
- ^"Distinguished Alumni Award winners – Mahé Drysdale".University of Auckland.Retrieved7 January2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^"New Years Honours 2009".Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived fromthe originalon 4 February 2009.Retrieved7 January2009.
- ^"Olympian Mahé Drysdale enters Tauranga's mayoralty race".Radio New Zealand.19 May 2024.Retrieved19 May2024.
- ^"Tauranga election: Mahé Drysdale set to become city's mayor".The New Zealand Herald.20 July 2024.Retrieved20 July2024.
- ^abEvens, Alisha (2 August 2024)."Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale honours grandfather as he's sworn in".New Zealand Herald.Retrieved26 August2024.
- ^"Wild, woolly weather no wedding dampener".The New Zealand Herald. 16 September 2013.Retrieved14 August2016.
- ^Maas, Amy (5 October 2014)."Oarsome baby girl".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved14 August2016.
- ^Rowan, Juliet (14 March 2015)."Hockey: Gemma Flynn, Rose Keddell and Sam Charlton".Bay of Plenty Times.Retrieved14 August2016.
- ^"Peter Drysdale makes first-class debut aged 33 with 19 ND players unavailable".Stuff.Retrieved6 April2022.
External links
[edit]
- Official websiteat theWayback Machine(archived 27 May 2010)
- Mahé DrysdaleatWorld Rowing
- Mahé Drysdaleat theNew Zealand Olympic Committee
- Mahé DrysdaleatOlympics.com
- Mahé DrysdaleatOlympedia
Worldchampions – Men'ssingle sculls | |
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This boat class is anOlympic event;seeOlympic champions – Men's single sculls |
Thomas Keller Medalrecipients | |
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See also:Thomas Keller |
- 1978 births
- New Zealand male rowers
- Rowers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Rowers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Rowers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Rowers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Mayors of Tauranga
- Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for New Zealand in rowing
- Olympic bronze medalists for New Zealand
- People educated at Tauranga Boys' College
- University of Auckland alumni
- Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
- Rowers from Melbourne
- Sportspeople from Tauranga
- Living people
- World Rowing Championships medalists for New Zealand