Val Coleman took up rowing as part of her recovery after she fell and fractured her femur just after her 90th birthday.
“I was back driving but still on crutches and I used to go along to Lower Town Quay to watch them launch the boats.
“My daughter was captain of the Jemima Rowing Club, and she said ‘why don’t you come and try one of the rowing machines.
“I did and she said ‘I think you have got a record there’. It went from there really.”
Mother of eight, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, Val took to indoor rowing straight away.
Fast forward nearly eight years and she has broken eight world records and won 16 gold medals, six silvers and a World Rowing silver and bronze as well as five Welsh slates.
Her most recent record was set this month when she set the five-kilometre world record in the 95-99 age group.
“The great thing about it is that you are sitting down,” said Val. “So it’s not so tiring on your legs like running.”
Val is no stranger to keeping fit, she swims or walks every day and also attends a Pilates class at her local leisure centre.
“I like to keep going,” said Val. “I think that its is very important as you get older, you need more exercise not less. You need to keep moving as you get older definitely.
“I feel good when I hear that I have broken a world record. It makes you more competitive. I had never been competitive before this.”
Val moved to Pembrokeshire 60 years ago and has lived in Goodwick for the last 20. She retrained as a nurse in her late 40s and worked at Withybush until she retired.
As well as a glut of world records and medals, Val has made new friends through the rowing club.
“It’s a social thing,” she said. I have made a lot of new friends since I took up this which is important when you live on your own and you’re getting older.”
Val trains with the club at its base on Lower Town Quay twice a week, where she says her fellow rowers treat her the same as anyone else.
She also exercises every day in some form or another and reads a daily newspaper and does the crossword.
“I think it’s important,” she said. “It’s important that you don’t give up when you get to 60 or 70.”
To others thinking of trying out rowing Val is encouraging.
“I would say give it a go. It’s good to take up something. If rowing isn’t for you, we’ve got a brilliant leisure centre with something for everybody and staff that are always friendly and helpful.”
