It’s official: Robbie Manson, the New Zealand rowing legend and certified heartthrob, has decided to retire from competitive rowing—but don’t you dare think he’s disappearing from your feed anytime soon. The 35-year-old three-time Olympian might be hanging up his oar, but he’s keeping his other favorite accessory—his budgie smugglers. Yes, you read that right: Manson’s retirement looks more like a permanent vacation… with a side of abs.
In a heartfelt post shared Monday, Manson revealed his decision to step away from the sport that earned him international acclaim. But, of course, he’s not quitting just because he’s done with racing. In fact, he’s leaving on a high note—literally—after a triumphant victory at the New Zealand Rowing Championships in the men’s doubles. (For those keeping score, he won the whole darn thing. Talk about going out with a bang.)
“After nearly two years away from rowing, a small itch crept in—what if I gave it another shot? From Masters to club rowing, I found my way back,” Manson wrote, reflecting on his journey of both physical and mental resilience. In 2022, after a two-year break to focus on his mental health, Manson came roaring back, qualifying for his fourth Olympics. Even after the Tokyo Games (where he was poised for gold), he showed the world he still had plenty of fight left in him.
RELATED: Olympic Athletes Matthew Mitcham and Robbie Manson Team Up for OnlyFans
His doubles partner for the Paris Games, Ben Mason, was sidelined, so Manson teamed up with Jordan Perry, who, as Manson put it, was “an incredible teammate.” The duo even managed to qualify for the final in the men’s double, finishing sixth. Not bad for a couple of underdogs, eh?
But despite his success on the water, Manson admitted that the sacrifices of being a top-tier athlete were starting to take a toll. He’s known for being brutally honest about the realities of an Olympian’s life, especially when it comes to the financial strain. “It’s hard to have a 12-year career and then afterwards having nothing to support myself,” he previously told Queerty.
That’s where OnlyFans (OF) comes in. No, this isn’t a humble brag—it’s a business move. Manson’s been making waves in a different way, by showing off his sculpted physique and charming personality to an ever-growing audience. “I get more than double what I would be on otherwise as an athlete,” he confessed to Reuters last summer. Yes, that’s right—Manson’s OnlyFans is officially his primary income source, which is a bit of a mic-drop moment considering his athletic background.
Now that he’s officially retired from rowing (for now, at least), Manson is shifting gears to pursue new opportunities—such as building his online coaching business and, of course, continuing to explore his “modeling career.” As he wrote in his farewell note: “With that itch well and truly scratched, it’s time to shift my focus to growing my online coaching business and continuing to explore new things—whether that’s in fitness, business, or even (let’s call it this) my modeling career.”
And if you thought the man wasn’t busy enough, Manson’s also been getting his sun-kissed, ripped abs in front of the camera at various glamorous locations like Rogers Beach in LA and a sizzling pool party in Sydney. This retirement sure looks like the start of something even hotter.
Let’s be honest: If there’s one thing we’re sure of, it’s that Manson will never truly “retire” from our hearts or our screens. With his commitment to self-improvement and his knack for serving both fitness and fashion looks, we’ll be keeping our eyes on him across multiple platforms. And if his former rowing partner, Oscar Ruston (who also happens to have thighs that could stop traffic) ever joins him on a modeling adventure, we might just need a moment to recover.
But for now, we’ll leave Manson to do his thing—whether that’s coaching, modeling, or who knows what else. As Manson himself said, “Let’s see where this next chapter leads—and if the itch comes back, before I’m really too old.”
And trust us, Robbie, we’ll be here to help scratch it… in any way you like.