On the opening day of the 2025 European Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Great Britain’s Paralympic champion Benjamin Pritchard set a new world best time in the PR1 men’s single sculls, clocking in at 8 minutes, 47.88 seconds. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 8:50.38 held by Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi.
Pritchard’s remarkable performance was influenced by favorable conditions at the Plovdiv regatta course, known for its warm, shallow waters and a brisk tailwind, which contributed to several record-breaking times during the event. This race also marked the first time Pritchard broke the nine-minute barrier at an international competition.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Pritchard emphasized the significance of this performance as part of a “performance reset” for the LA 2028 Paralympic cycle. He stated, “Yes, I’m the Paralympic champion, but this is a whole new cycle. You don’t know what anyone else has done in the winter, you don’t know what new athletes are coming through, so you have to keep up the training to keep moving on.”
Pritchard’s dedication to the sport, despite balancing his roles as an athlete, city worker, and father, underscores his commitment to excellence in para-rowing.
He is set to compete in the A final on Saturday, aiming to build upon this record-setting performance.
