Sbihi smashes Sir Matthew Pinsent’s record
Sir Matt Pinsent鈥檚 11 year-old British record fell at the 91桃色 Indoor Championships when World men鈥檚 eight Champion Mohamed Sbihi recorded 5:41.8 for the 2km open men鈥檚 ergo.
Moe Sbihi
2014 World silver medallist Sam Townsend, who finished runner up to Sbihi in a time of 5:47.6 today, was full of admiration for his team-mate:聽 鈥淚鈥檓 chuffed for Moe.听 It鈥檚 a good record that he鈥檚 beaten.听 I train alongside Moe a lot in the gym and he鈥檚 worked hard for that.
鈥淔or myself, it鈥檚 just shy of my personal best which I set in 2011.听 So that鈥檚 a good marker for me and shows that I鈥檓 on the right track for the Olympic season.听 It鈥檚 a very good stepping stone to the next test which we have in March鈥.
Paul Bennett, third in a time of 5:48.5, has come into the SAS Analytics-supported Championships off the back of illness and was disappointed with his score today because of it. He came home in a time of 5:48.5 in front of a noisy crowd.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 around three seconds off my personal best, so I鈥檓 a bit disappointed to be honest. I wanted to be a bit closer than that but it is what it is鈥, he said.
From the 2015 GB World Champion men鈥檚 eight the pecking order from fourth onwards was Will Satch, George Nash, Alex Gregory, Matt Gotrel and Pete Reed.听 Constantine Louloudis did not race.
Richard Chambers, 2012 Olympic silver medallist in the lightweight men鈥檚 four, won gold too.听 He finished in 6:08.8, in the lightweight men鈥檚 2k category, to bolster his confidence after a hard training camp.
鈥淚 wanted to test myself against myself here鈥, said Chambers.听 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e done that.听 It鈥檚 not bad but not a pb.鈥.
The GB Rowing Team鈥檚 Imogen Walsh, Vicky Meyer Laker, Jess Eddie and Donna Etiebet raced in the open women鈥檚 relay.
Record-breaking Sbihi concluded the day by saying:聽 鈥淚t is a great atmosphere and a wonderful event here.听 It鈥檚 such a good place to have set the record.听 Indoor rowing is now a massive bit of our sport.听 The machines are the same in gyms around the world and it鈥檚 growing and growing鈥.
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