Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale has had his first day back with the national rowing squad since winning gold at the Rio Olympics.

Drysdale took ten months off from the sport after Rio putting on 20kg.

He resumed training in July but only got back out on the water with the national squad today at Lake Karapiro.

Despite Robbie Manson posting a world best time in the single scull this year, Drysdale is confident he can regain the single sculls spot in the squad.

Drysdale said he was open to moving to another crew, possibly a double or four, but "couldn't see a clear crew or someone that I could make a really good combination with...I still really love the single and I still feel like I've got some things I can achieve in it and probably on balance it's slightly easier to manage alongside a family."

Photo: PhotoSport

"Robbie obviously did well but didn't quite finish it off at the world champs so that has very much opened the door and I am confident in my ability that I have performed every time I have gone out and raced in the single so now I need to focus on getting myself in the best shape possible to win that seat."

Drysdale has until February to get himself in top condition for that when the national trials are to determine the make up of the crews for the European season.

"I'm realistic that I am going to have to take some losses early season as all the guys who have continued after Rio have been training for the last 15 months and I have been training for the last four but hopefully I am going to be on a upwards trajectory ...and ready for the trials at the end of February early March."

Drysdale admits it was tough resuming training four months ago but feels he seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel over the past three weeks."

"To be honest I didn't miss training at all and I literally started in the worst shape of my life. I was overweight, unfit and ...you feel like you are doing work and not seeing a lot of progress but over the past few weeks the progress has just shot up and I can now see how I can get back," he said.

Photo: Photosport

After being used to being so fit Drysdale said he was "battled to run five kilometres" when he resumed training but enjoyed his time off and being able to spend it with his family.

"Rowing is quite a selfish sport. I very much look after myself and I have a great wife and a couple of kids who do whatever I need to do so it was nice to give back for a year or so and I was very much a parent number one, husband number two and Mahe number three so it was nice to change those priorities...and certainly gave me a different perspective."

Drysdale is leaving for Europe tomorrow to compete in two long distance races and spend time in Italy training.