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Robert Irwin is thankful for America’s response to him on “Dancing with the Stars.”
In an interview with Men’s Health, the 22-year-old Australian wildlife conservationist — who took home the Mirrorball Trophy and won season 34 of “DWTS” with his partner Witney Carson last week — opened up about his experience on the dance competition show and expressed his gratitude for America’s warm welcome.
“Coming over from Australia, I didn’t know how it would go. I didn’t think I’d make it this far, because I didn’t realize how incredibly supportive America would be,” he said. “It’s impossible to put into words how much that has meant to me, because what I represent is so much more than just a dance.”
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Robert Irwin is grateful for America’s support throughout his “Dancing with the Stars” journey. (Getty Images)
“When I step into the ballroom, I’m representing a legacy that my dad [Steve Irwin] created with my mom. I’m representing everything I stand for, not only as a wildlife conservationist, but also as someone who is working really hard to try and spread some positivity and passion,” he continued. “I want to be a role model for young people.”
“The fact that America has invited us back every week all the way to the end, it means that what I stand for is being heard and that is incredible,” he added. “I am so grateful. All of the challenges in the rehearsal studio, learning each new dance, have been worth it when I hear about how a dance resonated with people you know … being able to bare my heart and soul to America is scary, but it has been the most beautiful experience ever, because everybody has been with me on this journey and I feel like I’ve gained a whole new family over here.”
Robert, with sister Bindi and mom Terri, took home the Mirrorball Trophy and won season 34 of “DWTS.” ( Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images))
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Steve — famously known as “The Crocodile Hunter” — died in 2006 after being stung by a stingray while filming in the Great Barrier Reef for the documentary series “Ocean’s Deadliest.” At the time of his death, Robert was 2 years old and sister Bindi — who won season 21 of “DWTS” with partner Derek Hough — was 8. He and his wife, Terri, were married for 14 years before his death.
During his “DWTS” journey, Irwin said he wasn’t prepared for the physical and mental toll.
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“For this experience, I thought I was pretty fit, I thought I was ready, but I was not,” he admitted. “There’s just no way to prepare. The strength of a dancer is unmatched. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care if you’re performing on stage, if you’re competing in the Super Bowl, if you’re a gymnast, an athlete, a crocodile wrangler, I don’t care. You’re not prepared for dance.”
The 22-year-old said the “DWTS” experience took a mental and physical toll on him. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“You’re using muscles you’ve never used before,” he continued. “Everybody here is pushing themselves to the absolute limits, because that’s what you need to do justice to this craft. I said to Witney going into this, ‘Push me as hard as you want, because I want to be on the brink. I want to be pushing it to the limit, because I have such a respect for this craft,’ and my admiration for the craft of dance has only grown since.”
Ultimately, said Irwin, he pushed through.
“I just wanted to do it justice and to do it justice, you’ve got to put your body on the line, and you’ve got to be willing to give it everything and that’s what’s so rewarding,” he added.
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Two days after his win, Irwin — who turned 22 on Dec. 1 — shared side-by-side photos from 2015 of him holding his sister Bindi’s “DWTS” trophy and his own trophy.
“10 years later,” he captioned the Instagram post. “Thanks for being my inspiration to take this leap, @bindisueirwin – love you.”