Indoor rowers set world record at Xinjin event

Athletes compete at the 2021 100-Day Challenge of China Indoor Rowing held in Xinjin district, Chengdu, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An indoor rowing team from Sichuan province broke a world record at the 2021 100-Day Challenge of China Indoor Rowing held on May 29 in Xinjin district, Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The event, jointly sponsored by the Center of Sports Equipment of the General Administration of Sports of China, the Chinese Rowing Association and the Chinese Canoe Association, aims to promote nationwide fitness and draw people's attention to the upcoming Olympic Games.

Athletes compete at the 2021 100-Day Challenge of China Indoor Rowing held in Xinjin district, Chengdu, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The youth team of Sichuan Water Sports School consists of 58 male and 34 female athletes. The team set a new world record for the 1,000-kilometer indoor rowing mixed large group under the age of 19 program during the event.

The challenge started at 5 am on the morning of May 29. The youth team broke the world record set by the British with a time of 15 hours, 11 minutes and 17.2 seconds, smashing the previous record by nearly 2 hours.

Athletes compete at the 2021 100-Day Challenge of China Indoor Rowing held in Xinjin district, Chengdu, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The number of people participating in indoor rowing in China has kept rising in recent years, increasing by more than 200,000 annually.