96-year-old Val Coleman breaks 2,000m and 100m indoor rowing world records

Coleman smashed two Concept2 world records at the West Wales Indoor Rowing Championships

Val Coleman made history at the West Wales Indoor Rowing Championships, breaking the Women’s 95-99 2,000m world record in a time of 12:45.4 – this replaced her own previous record, set in 2023, by 22.9 seconds.

The Fishguard and Goodwick Jemima Rowing Club member didn’t stop there, and went on to break the Women’s 95-99 100m world record in a time of 35.3 seconds.

Inspired by her daughter, Val took up rowing during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Just a year later, she set the Women’s 90-94 1,000m British record in 6:16.1. In 2022, she set the Women’s 90-94 2,000m British record in 12:53.9, followed by the Women’s 90-94 four-minute world record in 2023, covering 682m. In 2024, she went on to break the Women’s 95-99 500m world record with a time of 2:57.8 and the Women’s 95-99 1,000m world record at 6:28.8.

Val holds a strong history competing in indoor rowing competitions, becoming two-time British Champion at the 2021 British Rowing Indoor Championships in the Women’s 90–94 2,000m race and Women’s 90–94 500m race. Competing alongside athletes from across the world at the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships, Val won gold in the Women’s 80+ 2,000m and 500m distances.

Speaking about her two new world records, Val said, “I’m really pleased with my time. We have trained hard over the past few months and our hard work paid off.”