Sculler Robbie Manson has forced his way back into the New Zealand squad with a series of impressive performances at the National Championships ©Getty Images

New Zealand’s record breaking single sculler Robbie Manson has been named in the Rowing New Zealand national elite squad as he targets a third Olympic appearance in Paris at the age of 33.

In 2020, although qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, Manson decided to take an indefinite break from the sport when the Games were postponed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He returned to elite action at the National Championships last month at Lake Ruataniwha.

Manson won the double sculls partnering Finn Hamill and also won in the quadruple sculls as part of the Waikato crew. 

He took silver with the Waikato eight and finished third in single sculls.

Robbie Manson last competed in the Olympics with Chris Harris at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Robbie Manson last competed in the Olympics with Chris Harris at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Manson has now been selected to join the men’s sculling group to trial in June, along with Jordan Parry, a quarter-finalist in single sculls at Tokyo 2020, and who was fourth at last year’s World Championships and double Olympian Tom Murray, who won gold with the eight in Tokyo.

Hamill, Manson's double sculls partner at the national championships, has also been named to attend the trials in June which will decide the New Zealand squad for the World Rowing Championships in Belgrade this September.

Earlier in his career, Manson won double sculls bronze with Chris Harris at Aiguebelette at the 2015 World Championships and set a world best time of 6min 30.74sec in the single sculls at the 2017 World Rowing World Cup in Poznan.

The 2023 World Rowing Championships are set to run from September 3 to 10 in Belgrade, Serbia.