Profile

New Zealand's Tom Mackintosh

Words: Tom Ransley

Row360 Editor Tom Ransley caught up with Olympic champion Tom Mackintosh, who is set to represent New Zealand in the men’s single scull. As he readies himself to race at the 2024 World Rowing Cup series the Hawke’s Bay rower reflects on Zoom calls with Olaf Tufte and Mahé Drysdale; how financial jargon trigged his return to rowing; why going through the courts was worth it now that The Athletes’ Cooperative [a newly formed athletes’ union] have a “ticket to the start line”, and who he’s tipping for Paris 2024.

This morning was a hard session.

It was 22km with an 8km piece in it at rate 26. The 8km in the middle is a long row.

You know the drill: eat, sleep, row, repeat.

This year it was my seat to lose. I was in the single in 2023 and qualified the boat at the World Championships, which put me in a good position to be reselected, but just because one thing happens one season, it doesn't necessarily mean it will happen the next. We have some amazing scullers here in New Zealand, the likes of Jordan Parry and Robbie Manson. There was always a possibility that they might try and take the seat.

I was on the fence as to whether I’d come back.

I took a six-month break from the sport at the end of 2022. ‘Let's give the single a crack’, was a real motivating factor for me. I’d been competitive in training – right up there with the top scullers. My big hairy goal was, ‘How well could I go at a World Championships?’ I wanted to see what it was like.