Mahe Drysdale

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Mahe Drysdale (b. 19th November 1978) is a New Zealand rower and twice World Champion.

Drysdale didn't begin rowing until aged 18, at university. He gave up rowing to concentrate on his studies, but began rowing again after watching New Zealander Rob Waddell win gold at the 2000 Olympic Games ^[1]

Drysdale began competing at the World Cup level in 2002, rowing in the New Zealand coxless four. After the 2004 Olympic Games, in which his New Zealand crew finished fifth in the final, Drysdale switched to the single scull, winning the 2005 World Championships at Gifu, Japan, despite having broken two vertebrae in a crash with a water skier earlier in the year^[2].

In 2006, he successfully defended his World Championship title at Dorney Lake.