Rowan Crothers Turns The Clock Back To The Mean Machine As He Celebrates Paralympic Gold<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bald-headed Queenslander Rowan Crothers<\/strong> has emerged as a modern day inclusion into Australia\u2019s famed \u201cMean Machine Hall of Fame\u201d after his power-packed performance winning Paralympic gold in Tokyo last night.<\/p>\n

What followed his win in the 50m freestyle (S10 classification) has captured the hearts of Aussie sports fans with a must watch post race celebration and an insightful interview.<\/p>\n

$\"Rowan$
LEAN AND MEAN: Rowan Crothers celebrates his 2020 gold (above) and Neil Brooks shows his elation to win Commonwealth gold in 1986. Photos Courtesy: Delly Carr (Paralympics Australia) and News Ltd.<\/p><\/div>\n
The 23-year-old, who was born with cerebal palsy, has emerged as a new cult figure of Australian Paralympics conjuring memories of Australian swimming\u2019s famed \u201cMean Machine\u201d kings Neil Brooks<\/strong> and Greg Fasala<\/strong> who became the first Australian swimmers to shave their heads at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.<\/p>\n
Brooks and Fasala kept their shaved heads a secret \u2013 arriving for the finals in bandanas and Akubra hats \u2013 making a reveal after walking behind the blocks and then winning the 4x100m \u2013 and christened the Mean Machine (by yours truly) in the News Ltd papers the next day. Along with fellow relay team mates Graeme Brewer<\/strong> and Michael Delany<\/strong> (in 1982) and Mark Stockwell<\/strong> for Brewer (in 1984) and Matthew Renshaw<\/strong> for Delany (in 1986) adopted the Mean Machine name \u2013Australia\u2019s 4x100m freestyle relay teams that won Olympic silver in \u201984 and Commonwealth gold in \u201982 and \u201986.<\/p>\n
Crothers showed that same unabashed Aussie Mean Machine power and determination that captured the imagination of the swimming world back in the early to mid 80s by Brooksie and his band of brothers…who were prepared to do anything for their country in the pool, even shave their heads.<\/p>\n
$\"1982$
1982 Mean Machine (L-R) Neil Brooks, Graeme Brewer, Michael Delany, Greg Fasala.\u00a0 Photo Courtesy: News Ltd.<\/p><\/div>\n
There is no doubt that the Mean Machine team members like so many Australians watching on Channel 7s Live broadcast, they would have seen Crothers last night and thought: \u201cThat\u2019s my boy….you little ripper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crothers powered home to touch the wall in a sizzling 23.21 \u2013 just 0.05 outside the world record that he had nudged in the heat in 23.25 \u2013 before jumping onto the lane rope throwing his arms in the air like a UFC prizefighter and then losing his balance and tumbling into the lane next to him \u2013 much to the surprise of Brazilian bronze medallist Pheilpe Melo Rodrigues.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n
\n
One of life\u2019s great characters is Rowan Crothers the boy from Yeronga Park who thanked his coaches & his team saying: \u201cI\u2019ve got the easy job\u2026all I\u2019ve got to do is swim\u2026\u201d https:\/\/t.co\/sj7nMgo4Zy<\/a><\/p>\n
— Ian Hanson OAM (@hansonmedia) August 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n