Olympic medallist Philip Doyle: ‘Rowing is miserable. The lifestyle is miserable. Being a full-time athlete is miserable when you’re on no money’

As an Olympic medallist and medical doctor, Philip Doyle isn’t short of dedication, but it’s taken a lot of hard work and sacrifice — physically, financially and even romantically. Now 32, he’s considering his prospects for the next Games in LA

Olympic bronze medallist Philip Doyle at the National Rowing Centre in Cork. Photo: Bryan Keane/Inpho

It’s a month since he won an Olympic bronze medal with rowing partner Daire Lynch at the men’s double sculls in Paris when I speak to Philip Doyle. He has a few weeks off from training and he’s at home in Banbridge, Co Down, getting some rest and helping his mother around the house.

“When I come home, I kind of step away from the whole sporting world for the next few weeks. And I get a list of chores from my mother,” the 32-year-old says. “Things she’s broken around the house, and jobs to be done. Yesterday was power-washing the whole fence out the back. And then today will be painting the fence. I’m not from a rowing town, I picked it up in college. So when I come home, I really step away from that whole rowing environment and just do something completely different for a few weeks.”

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