The YMCA of Rock River Valley Rowing Crew is proud to announce member Ann Hyzer brought home two medals from the 2018 Master National Championships.
The race took place August 16-19 in Oakland, California. Hyzer, 60, placed first in the Womens Lightweight Singles for the 60-64 age group. She also took third in the same race, but in the 55-59 age bracket.
Hyzer’s story is the perfect example of determination and believing in one’s self. She rowed for 15 years with the Minneapolis Rowing Club and then took 17 years off from rowing to raise her children. This is only her second season back in the water (now with the YMCA Rockford Rowing Crew) and she brings home first place at Nationals with a time of 4:36.503.
Hyzer, who lives in Janesville, is on the water in Rockford 4-5 days a week. She calls rowing “her sport.”
“I just knew right away this was the sport for me. I love the competition, the meditative state rowing puts you in and the complete body workout,” said Hyzer. “I’m proud to have made this come-back and proved to myself that I could do it.”
Hyzer uses any opportunity to tout the sport to others and welcomes newcomers to check it out. She will compete this fall at the annual YMCA Head of the Rock Regatta on October 14.
You can watch Hyzer’s winning race here (crossing the finish at 2:47:05):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcMywp66VkE&feature=youtu.be&t=2h39m58s