Olympics 2024: Shane Rose, the ‘Mankini man’, on fightback from wheelchair to equestrian team

He might be best known to the wider public for his mankini-wearing stunt on horseback, but Shane Rose has also overcome huge hurdles after a horse accident to make Australia’s equestrian team for the Paris Olympics.

Australian Olympic silver medallist Shane Rose.

When he was lying in a delirious state after a horse accident that resembled a car accident, “Mankini Man’’ Shane Rose mumbled two sentences over and over.

“What year is it?’’ and “How long to Paris?’’

Four months later, he has risen from his hospital bed to be off to Paris to chase the gold medal that could sit nicely above the two silvers and a bronze he pocketed in Beijing 2008, Rio 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.

“I guess those two sentences show how keen I was to get to Paris,’’ Rose, who broke 18 bones in his accident, told this masthead.

“Even in a delirious state when I had no idea what I was saying, Paris was on my mind. I only know what I said because my staff took the video.’’

Australian Olympic silver medallist Shane Rose was announced as being part of the 2024 Olympic equestrian team. Picture: Richard Dobson

As evidenced by his brave decision to wear a mankini to a fancy dress equestrian event earlier this year, Rose is seen as one of the characters of his sport.

On Thursday Rose was all smiles - and cracking a few jokes - when he was officially announced as part of a nine member Australian squad heading to the Olympics.

“If we win a gold medal I think there will be a gold mankini,” Rose said, laughing, when asked if he would be getting the fancy dress out again.

But beneath the fun there is also plenty of fibre and he needed every bit of it in his post-accident push for Paris where the equestrian events will be held at the Chateau de Versailles, a world renowned cultural site which has millions of visitors each year.

Shane Rose has endured a long road back.

Having a 600kg horse land on in a training accident on March 14 created a devastating list of injuries which included several rib fractures, a broken elbow, a fractured femur which required a rod and a broken pelvis.

“When I was sent to AIS for my rehab the doctors said this was more like a car accident than a horse accident.

“But I’m pretty good pain wise. If you asked me to do the 100m sprint I am probably not much of a chance but fortunately I can get the horse to do the running for me.

“I cannot remember anything about the accident which is good because that means I don’t have a hang-up about it. The pain in hospital later was horrendous but I cannot remember the pain at the actual time and I think that has helped me.’

Rose caused a stir early this year when he wore the mankini, momentarily prompting Equestrian Australia to stand him down for donning an outfit they felt was far too cheeky in every way.

Dual Olympic medallist Shane Rose was suspended from all official competitions by Equestrian Australia earlier this year after this stunt.

But with public sentiment rallying behind the rider, EA accepted Rose’s apology and conceded he had breached no rule.

“I saw it as that (a bit of a laugh). We went to a fancy dress competition for a bit of fun and I did what I did for a bit of humour and thankfully it ended up being that.

“I’m sure you have been down the beach in Queensland and seen people wearing a lot less than what I had on.

“I hadn’t broken any laws and it was an unofficial dress-up competition. I was glad that was how it worked out.

“I mean, it’s actually been great for me in hindsight. There is a lot more media interested in my selection for the Games knowing what has happened to me over the last few months.

“It is not like cricket and rugby. We are not in the paper every day. We are a pretty obscure sport that does not get much coverage. It might actually get people watching the sport which would be great.’’

Shane Rose will vie for the gold medal missing from his collection. Picture: Richard Dobson

Rose feels confident he and his team-mates can shine in Paris.

‘Our eventing team is strong and together if we all perform at our best we have a great chance of standing on that podium.’’

Rose is also hoping he and his 18 year old horse Virgil will bring home gold from Paris.

“I’m a competitive person by nature and I want to be the best in the world,” he said. “We haven’t done that yet, that elusive gold medal is still out there and hopefully Paris is the one.”

Originally published as Olympics 2024: Shane Rose, the ‘Mankini man’, on fightback from wheelchair to equestrian team