Nardia’s indoor rowing triumph

Avid indoor rower Nardia Guillaumier already has a long list of medals and records under her belt in the sport, but it isn’t stopping her from trying to beat her personal bests.

She currently holds the Australian record for the one minute row and the four minute row in the 40-49 age group and recently brought home a silver and bronze on the world stage.

In the 2,000 metre at the World Indoor Rowing Championships she rowed a time of 7 minutes and 20 seconds, just 5 seconds behind the European champion, beating her personal best.

In the 500 metre, she placed third behind the current number one US rower and a Swedish rower but again rowed a new personal best of 1 minute and 33 seconds.

“When you race, you’re racing yourself for your best time,” the Kiama local says.

“Although I am quite fast, there will always be somebody faster but I’m going to try and make sure I perform at my best. That’s what competing on a big stage is all about.”

This is after she brought home an outstanding five gold medals last November at the Pan Pacific Masters Games held in Queensland. She now has her eyes set on the Australian Masters in October, where she will try and row another personal best in the 2,000 metres.

“All of my training at the moment is based around beating that time,” says Nardia, who is the owner of NEG Photography.

“You have to have a lot of strength and a lot of endurance for indoor rowing. It’s all legs and core.

“I do strength training six days a week at Oxygen Fitness in Kiama and row under coach Alan Swan at Swan Athletics in Jamberoo four times a week which will increase in intensity closer to the competition.”

She has been rowing for two-and-a-half years after she realised just how fast she was at indoor rowing.

As well as keeping her cardio fitness at a high level,