'Dancing with the Stars' champions Robert Irwin, Witney Carson reflect on season 34
"Dancing with the Stars" season 34 champion Robert Irwin is opening up about taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy alongside pro partner Witney Carson, despite a rib injury heading into the finale.
"It's painful, but, you know, no pain, no gain, but it's all good," the 21-year-old conservationist said on "Good Morning America" Wednesday after his win.
Irwin and Carson won the Mirrorball trophy Tuesday night, coming out on top among finalist pairs Alix Earle and pro Val Chmerkovskiy; Dylan Efron and pro Daniella Karagach; Jordan Chiles and pro Ezra Sosa; and Elaine Hendrix and pro Alan Bersten.
The duo confirmed they had to change some of the choreography for their final freestyle dance due to the injury, which Irwin said made it hard to breathe at times.
"That trick right there that you just saw, I get tossed by the guys, and Robert usually catches me, and there was one time that we did it, and it just like killed his ribs, so I took it out," Carson said. "His health is my No. 1 priority."
But the two pulled off their three finale dances -- a judge's choice quickstep, an instant cha cha dance and freestyle -- and Irwin described their freestyle performance as a "thank you" to everyone who helped them on their dancing journey.
"We just knew we had to make it work, because it was the way to just say we're so grateful for this experience," Irwin said.
"It is literally the greatest thing I think I've ever got to be part of," he added.
The season 34 win was Carson's second time earning the trophy as a pro dancer, after she won the first time in season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro, who now co-hosts the show. She said it felt "a lot different" this time around.
"The first time I won, I was 19 years old, and now I'm 32 so I have kids now, and so, to celebrate with them and my husband was so special," Carson said. "And then the fact that Alfonso gave me the Mirrorball [trophy], it's kind of like, really full circle for me."
Irwin followed in his sister Bindi Irwin's footsteps to the trophy, 10 years after her win during season 21 with then-pro Derek Hough.
"I remember watching my sister raise that Mirrorball trophy 10 years ago to the day ... and it just felt like, 'Wow, what a privilege that we are here,' and that pressure was there, but it was just the pressure to be the best version of ourselves," Irwin said.
Irwin, Carson and their fellow season 34 finalists flew overnight from Los Angeles to New York to appear live on "GMA." Here's what the rest of the finalists said about their time on "DWTS" season 34.
What Alix Earle and pro Val Chmerkovskiy said about their time on the show
Earle described the "DWTS" journey as a "humbling process" and credited Chmerkovskiy for "pushing" her along.
"It was really scary for me at first to go out there every week and dance in front of this many people, or dance in front of even one person," said Earle. "That journey and that growth along the way has meant a lot."
Chmerkovskiy also added he would miss his and Earle's strong partnership.
"You dedicate yourself to a mutual goal like we did together," said Chmerkovskiy. "I will miss a person that bought in. ... She bought in and enjoyed the process and I really appreciate her letting me teach her."
What Dylan Efron and pro Daniella Karagach said about their time on the show
Efron, the younger brother of actor Zac Efron, stepped into the spotlight for his turn on the ballroom floor and said it took him "awhile" to get comfortable.
"I've always admired dancers and performers. It just wasn't me. This was my chance to actually try," Efron said.
Karagach also said it was "so fun" to teach Efron to dance.
"He wanted to learn every single day. He came in ready to be better than the last day. And that's all you can ask for as a coach," Karagach said. "He put his whole heart into this, and it was actually pretty fun and easy, not easy at times, but for the most part, it was easy."
What Jordan Chiles and pro Ezra Sosa said about their time on the show
Chiles, who took time out of being a full-time student at the University of California, Los Angeles, a college athlete and a businesswoman, called the entire "DWTS" experience an "amazing" one.
"The most happy place was being able to walk into the ballroom and be like, 'OK, I get to do something outside of UCLA gymnastics, outside of school,'" said Chiles. "Once I put my mind and grit to something, that's really where everything shows."
For Sosa, getting to be a part of season 34 was also particularly meaningful.
"Growing up, I watched ['Dancing with the Stars'] and I've always dreamed of getting to make that finale," Sosa said. "So the fact that I'm even here, sitting here with all the exhaustion in the world, I just feel so lucky."
What Elaine Hendrix and pro Alan Bersten said about their time on the show
At 54, Hendrix was one of the older contestants on season 34 and even experienced an injury on her journey to the finale, but her main message to others is that it's never too late to chase your dreams.
"If you have a dream, or you have any vision for yourself that you think, 'Oh, it's too late. I can't do that.' It's truly not. I'm living, walking proof of that," Hendrix said.
"And the one thing I would say that is critical in the journey is having someone who believes in you," she added of her partner Bersten. "It was hard but Alan kept cheering me on and that made all the difference in the world."
