Eighty-nine-year-old Merv Grewar is planning to break a world record.
He is training four-days-a-week to claim the world record for the 100m indoor row in the 90-plus age category.
He has to beat 20.5 seconds
He already holds the New Zealand record for the 85–89 age group; that was claimed at the 2022 South Island Masters.
But now he is rowing, not just for himself, but for a cause with a personal connection.
It is set to happen four days after his 90th birthday, on the date of his wedding anniversary with late wife Colleen, and will raise money for Dementia Canterbury in memory of her.
She had Alzheimer’s and passed in November, 2022.
The couple were married for nigh on 63 years.
Merv said the world record attempt followed an earlier plan a couple of years ago where he had planned to set a world record in track cycling.
However, a bike crash in Invercargill resulted in a ‘‘buggared’’ hip and ended his cycling days, he said.
He still has difficulty getting his leg over a bike frame.
Merv, a jazz drummer, was once a long-time swim tutor and former navy radio operator.
He met personal trainer Angus McKenzie-Heard at an Ashburton gym about five years ago.
Since then, McKenzie-Heard had set up a training regime for Merv with a personalised four-day Fit 4 Life fitness programme.
It includes a workout app, resistance and strength training and rowing on the erg.
The erg had since been a lifesaver.
‘‘It’s good. because it’s an all-over body workout, using everything,’’ Merv said.
There was also a sensible diet of meat, especially fish, with vegetables and plenty of fruit.
McKenzie-Heard said prior to Merv’s cycling accident, he had been cycling since he was 11-years-old.
He said it had likely attributed to Merv’s good physical fitness in his late 80s.
At the record attempt, Merv will use a Concept 2 machine, have his age and weight verified and, two hours before, be officially weighed in.
He will then have three attempts from a ‘standing start’ to row 100 metres in under 20.5 seconds to break the record.
McKenzie-Heard said cardiovascular strength training had improved Merv Grewar’s upper and lower system so his muscles kicked in and worked faster on the erg machine.
It would help his world record attempt.
Two invited guests will start the first two attempts, and McKenzie-Heard will start the final attempt. There will be a 30 minutes rest between each.
McKenzie-Heard said Dementia Canterbury was the third charity cause this year supported by the crew at Fit 4 Life following fundraising efforts for Cancer Society and Pink Ribbon.
Recording a blog on his record attempt, Merv said his decision to raise money for the one-in-16 people that had, or would get, dementia/Alzheimer’s had stemmed from the struggles he had as a caregiver and then the valuable support he, and late wife Colleen, received from the organisation in those latter years.
Merv has been awarded numerous accolades in his life, including on the West Coast where he was named 2017 New Zealander of the Year Local Hero Award for Aquatics and given a Westland District Council Civic Award.
■ Merv’s record attempt is at Fit 4 Life studio, Harrison St, Ashburton on December 6 at 3pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Support Merv’s cause via Givealittle at support-merv-grewars-world-record-row-for-dementia
