Kiama’s champion indoor rower, Nardia Guillaumier, has done it again - winning her second consecutive gold medal at the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships.

The Indoor Rowing Championships are held virtually, allowing participants from around the world to compete simultaneously. However, because the event is scheduled on European time, it meant that at 2:38 AM on Monday, 24 February, while most were asleep, Nardia was on her rower at her home in Kiama Downs, securing her second gold medal.

“We didn’t know right away where I’d finished, so we went through the names, and my husband said I’d won in my age group. I didn’t believe him, so I asked him to check again. He told me, Actually, they’re all behind you!” Nardia recalls.

“I covered my mouth, looked at Alan (Swan, her trainer), and yelled, We did it again! I was so surprised I let out a little celebratory squeal - hoping I didn’t wake the neighbours!”

Nardia Guillaumier competing in the World Championship. Photos supplied.

Nardia clinched the world gold medal in the 2000m row for the open weight division for 45-49 year-olds. Even more impressively, she achieved a personal best time of 7 minutes and 16 seconds, which was her true goal.

“I was thrilled to set a personal best of 7:16 at 2:38 in the morning,” she says. “I trained so hard to improve my time, and that was my real focus - making myself faster as I get older. Winning the medals is just the icing on the cake.”

In addition to her gold in the 2000m, Nardia also earned a bronze medal in the 500m row, which took place a week earlier. She was just 0.1 seconds shy of her personal best, finishing in 1 minute and 33 seconds.

Nardia credits much of her success to her trainer, Alan Swan of Swan Athletics, who designed her rigorous training program and supported her throughout her journey to her second gold.

“Alan creates fantastic training schedules for me,” Nardia says. “I row five times a week at night and also train six days a week with weights at Oxygen Fitness in Kiama. So, I'm training a minimum of 11 times a week to get into the condition needed to compete against some of the best rowers, many of whom have been rowing for years, since they were kids.”

She adds, “I’m just a country girl who trains in a converted dairy shed in Jamberoo, and I’m holding my own against these seasoned competitors. I think I’m doing okay!”

Nardia Guillaumier and Alan Swan after her win. Photos supplied.

Nardia’s motivation to keep competing and pushing herself comes from a desire to stay fit and age well.

“My primary goal is to be the fittest and strongest version of myself, no matter my age. I want to be able to sit and stand up from a chair or the toilet when I’m 90! It’s the old saying - if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. That’s what keeps me going.”

She encourages anyone looking for a low-impact fitness activity to consider indoor rowing.

“I would highly recommend indoor rowing as a fitness activity that anyone, at any age, can do. It’s low-impact, great for cardio, and really, you’re only competing against yourself,” she says.

The Bugle congratulates Nardia on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to seeing what she accomplishes next!