Karsten Forsterling: Never, Ever, Ever Give Up - Episode 53

From Olympic heartbreak to World Champion and two-time Olympic medallist. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn OAM sits down with Australian Olympian and World Champion Karsten Forsterling for a wide-ranging conversation about persistence, belief, great crews and a remarkable career in Australian rowing. Karsten’s journey was anything but straightforward. After emerging as a talented junior, he spent years pushing towards his Olympic dream, missing selection, serving as an Olympic reserve and moving between sweep rowing and sculling before finally making his Olympic debut at London 2012 at the age of 32, winning bronze in the Men’s Quadruple Scull. Four years later, he returned at Rio 2016, winning silver in the quad after an undefeated World Cup season. Along the way came a dramatic 2011 World Championship victory in Bled, countless lessons about crew dynamics and some of the most influential coaches and athletes in Australian rowing. At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: what keeps an athlete going when success takes longer than expected? Who is Karsten Forsterling? Karsten Forsterling is an Australian Olympian, World Champion and one of the most persistent athletes of his generation. His international journey began in the late 1990s, including junior and Under 23 representation. After years of near misses, he transitioned from sweep rowing into sculling and became an integral member of Australia’s highly successful quadruple scull program. His career highlights discussed in the episode include: 2011 World Champion – Men’s Quadruple Scull, Bled 2012 Olympic Bronze – Men’s Quadruple Scull, London 2015 World Championship Silver – Men’s Quadruple Scull 2016 Olympic Silver – Men’s Quadruple Scull, Rio 2008 Olympic reserve – Beijing Member of the Australian Men’s Eight that qualified for the Tokyo Olympic cycle in 2019. Why Is This Conversation Important? Persistence Matters Karsten’s first Olympic medal came at 32 after years of selection disappointments and setbacks. His story challenges the idea that athletes need immediate results to justify continuing. His message is particularly relevant for young rowers: development takes time, and sometimes the athlete you become later is very different from the athlete you were at 20. Great Crews Need More Than Great Athletes Karsten reflects on the importance of emotional maturity, sacrifice and understanding what each person contributes to a boat. “It’s not just about you.” The episode explores why successful combinations require athletes to understand one another, embrace different personalities and spend enough time together to work through challenges. Belief Needs to Be Tested Karsten talks about the people who encouraged him—but also those who challenged whether he was good enough. One pivotal moment came when he was told he may not be among Australia’s top scullers. Rather than walking away, he used the challenge as motivation and soon after won the selection trials in the single. Great Coaching Can Be Simple The influence of John Driessen features strongly. Karsten describes a coach who combined simplicity with experimentation and innovation. Their technical philosophy centred on allowing the boat to run, continuing its acceleration and avoiding unnecessary movements that interrupt speed. The lesson extended beyond technique: even when something is working, great performers remain prepared to experiment, learn and occasionally fail. You Can Quote Us On That “You get better and better with age.” “It’s not just about you.” “Never, ever, ever give up.” “You also need your resolve tested.” “You’ve got to be prepared to fail.” “I didn’t stick at it for any other reason because I loved it.” And perhaps the line that best captures Karsten’s reflection on a lifetime in rowing: “How lucky am I?” Hosted by: Drew Ginn OAM Guest: Karsten Forsterling Produced by: Nicholas Finster Sponsored by Choice Capital and 776BC Presented by Mercantile Rowing Club