Free family legacy set to continue with new generation

Among the names selected for this year’s Australian senior rowing squad to compete at the World Rowing Cups in Varese and Lucerne is a familiar surname: Free.

Jackson Free has been selected in the men’s quadruple sculls crew, earning his first spot on an Australian national team and following in the wake of his father Marcus, uncle Duncan and grandfather Reginald.

Reginald – or Reg – first raced for Australia at the 1967 World Rowing Championships, having represented Tasmania numerous times. Reg later became a coach, and after moving to Queensland started coaching his sons Marcus and Duncan. Coached by their father, the brothers raced for Australia in the men’s double sculls at the 1997 and 1998 World Rowing Championships, and won bronze in 1997.

While Marcus also hung up his oars to take up coaching, Duncan then became one of Australia’s greatest-ever oarsmen, winning two world championship titles in the men’s coxless pair in 2006 and 2007, and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the same boat class. Duncan Free competed in four Olympic Games before injury forced him into retirement in 2011.

Jackson Free has always been coached by his father, although he says he resisted rowing initially.

“When I was growing up I started in footie, in AFL (Australian Football League). I got to a point where I was 13 or 14 and I was like ‘I don’t really have the coordination for this, I should really try rowing’,” Jackson explains.

His first attempts at rowing went well, and Jackson has since won six Queensland state titles in the men’s single sculls. Last year he raced in the Diamond Challenge Sculls (previously won by Duncan Free) and the Double Sculls Challenge Cup (previously won by Duncan and Marcus Free) at Henley Royal Regatta.

Until now, Jackson has always been coached by Marcus, but he is now preparing to adapt to the Australian coaching team – again, following in the family tradition.

“We were actually joking the other day that it was a similar time in their rowing careers that their dads stopped being so much involved and they stepped up to other coaches,” Jackson says. “It was quite emotional because a lot of years finally paid off. I’ve got plenty of tips and tricks on how to do it all.”

Jackson admits the weight of the family legacy was not always something he truly appreciated.

“Growing up I had no idea what I know now. I was 10 or 11 and it was 2008 and I brought Dunc’s gold medal in for show and tell at school,” he remembers. “I thought it was just the same gold medal I’d win at a swimming carnival.”

Part of the reason for that is that the elder Frees have encouraged Jackson to focus on other things outside rowing. Reg Free passed away in 2015, but did get to see his grandson row before then.

“When he did talk about his rowing career he concentrated more on how much fun he had with his mates more than the actual rowing which was always a part that I wanted to keep in a way. Rowing’s just a bit of fun and it’s not the end of the world,” Jackson says.

“He told me not to worry about the achievements of my dad and uncle, and ‘carve my own path’. In saying that I do occasionally feel the pressure,” he adds.

Marcus Free has also been influential, encouraging Jackson to stay in the sport even when results were not working out and when he did not make the Australian junior or Under 23 teams. Jackson reveals his father became emotional when the selection was announced, adding: “We’ve always talked about the day that you’d make an Aussie team. Pop would be very proud and obviously Dad and Dunc as well.”

But his father has also made sure that Jackson’s future is not only on the water. He has completed a degree in architecture and has been working in the field – although that job is now on hold as he relocates to Canberra to train full-time.

“It’s happened very quick. In the next month or so we’re planning on jumping in the quad to make it go as fast as possible. It’s a good group of guys: getting along with all your crewmates definitely makes the boat go faster,” Jackson says, of the selection and the next months ahead of the first World Rowing Cup in Varese in June.

Jackson says he hopes that if he ever becomes a father himself, his children will also have the opportunity to row and represent their country. Before then, his cousins Luca and Danica – Duncan’s children – are also eyeing up future senior selection for Australia, having competed in the junior and Under 23 World Rowing Championships respectively last year.

So look out for Jackson Free in the Australian men’s quadruple sculls this summer, as he looks to build on a truly exceptional family legacy in the sport of rowing.