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Updated 31 minutes ago

After placing second the past two years, Michael Bowman of Hampton topped the podium at the Pittsburgh Indoor Rowing Championship regatta last month.

Bowman, 62, earned a gold medal in the Veteran Masters Men “B” 60+ age group after being the runner-up in 2015 and 2016.

His career-best time at 2,000 meters on an ergometer was 7:15.2, nine seconds ahead of the silver medalist.

“It's nice when your race strategy actually works,” Bowman said.

Lauren Schueler, Bowman's coach with the Pittsburgh Rowing Club in Robinson, said Bowman did a better job pacing himself.

“(Everything) came together at the right time for him,” she said, adding his technique improved significantly.

Bowman, a hand and foot surgeon based in Cranberry, took up rowing several years ago after a sore knee forced him to quit running.

He followed his daughter into rowing.

Salli Bowman won in the lightweight high school grades 9 to11 division at the 2014 indoor championship. She's now is a sophomore on the Cornell University women's crew team.

“I asked Salli if she minded if Dad started rowing, and started out at (the Steel City Rowing Club in Verona),” Bowman said. “I switched to Pittsburgh Rowing Club, which has great coaching and a very experienced group of masters.

“I have been very lucky to be in some fast doubles and quads and have medaled or won a few times outdoors.”

Schueler, 29, is impressed by Bowman's dedication and desire to learn.

“(He will ask), ‘What's the workout?' (and) ‘How's this going to make me better?'” she said.

Bowman said he is trying to improve outdoors on the single, the “pinnacle of sculling.”

The championships were hosted by the Three Rivers Rowing Association at the Kingsley Association in Pittsburgh's Larimer section.

Karen Kadilak is a Tribune-Review contributor.

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