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For only the fifth time in the past quarter century but the second time in 2026, the world-best time for 2,000 meters on the Concept2 ergometer was lowered in March.
Olympic oarsman Simon van Dorp of The Netherlands, who rowed at the University of Washington and in the 2020 (men’s eight, fifth) and 2024 (men’s single, bronze) Olympics, went 5:33.4 in March, lowering Olympic single scull champion Oliver Zeidler’s record of 5:34.7—also set in 2026—by more than a second.
Australia’s Josh Dunkley-Smith pulled a 5:35.8 in 2018, besting Kiwi Rob Waddell’s 2008 5:36.6. Germany’s Matthias Siejkowski’s 5:37, set in 2001, seemed like it might stand forever before the recent flurry of faster times, which includes Nikolaj Pimenov’s 5:36.9, also rowed this year.
Van Dorp mostly negative-split his record, with 1:23.6, 1:23.9, 1:23.2, and 1:22.7 500-meter split times at average ratings of 38, 36, 38, and 43 strokes per minute.
