KITCHENER -- An 89-year-old woman from Woodstock has rowed her way to a new world record.

Alida Kingswood, 89, broke the record in the women’s 85-89-year-old, 2,000-metre race during the World Rowing Indoor Championships. Her winning time was 10:11.08.

“I wanted to leave a bit of a legacy for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, because I’m not a grandmother that bakes cookies for kids or does crafts,” Kingswood said. “I do just what comes natural.”

The championships were held remotely this year due to the pandemic. Kingswood competed in real-time against competitors from across the world.

“I asked how I was doing and Jeff, who’s my coach, told me to go fast, to go fast the last few minutes so I really went fast,” she said.

She broke the last record by about 22 seconds, which she set a couple weeks prior.

“It’s an excellent sport and uses all your muscles,” she said.

Kingswood said she trains twice a day, six times a week. She adds that her motivation is to stay healthy.

“Next year, I will be 90 and I intend to win the world record,” she said.