Amanda Coker
{{Short description|American cyclist (born 1992)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Amanda Coker
| image = Poium Chrono KA.jpg
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| birth_date = 1992
| birth_place = North Carolina
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| currentteam = Team Twenty20 UCI Women's Professional/Development Team
| discipline = Road Racing
| role =
| ridertype = Time Trial
| majorwins = WUCA and Guinness Book records for greatest distance cycled in a year, fastest person to cycle 100,000 miles, greatest distance cycled in a month, and first woman in history to exceed 500 miles in 24hrs.
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Amanda Coker (born 1992, in North Carolina) is an American ultra-cyclist and the current record holder of the World Endurance record for distance in a calendar year.
Career
Coker first began riding alongside her father, Ricky, as a teenager, and found success as a racer, placing sixth in the time trial at the junior national championships in 2010. She later enrolled at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado as part of a collegiate cycling programs.
In 2011 Coker was hit by a distracted motorist. The crash threw her {{convert|50|ft|m|0}} and knocked her unconscious, leaving her with brain and spinal injuries. After recovering, she resumed cycling in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://road.cc/content/news/220479-amanda-coker-breaks-kurt-searvogels-year-record-40-days-spare|title=Amanda Coker breaks Kurt Searvogel's Year record - with 40 days to spare|author=Simon MacMichael|date=15 April 2017|accessdate=6 June 2017|publisher=road.cc}}
On 15 May 2016 Coker began an attempt to set a new record for distance covered over the course of a year. Riding a course in Flatwoods Park in Tampa Bay she rode {{convert|237.19|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} a day on average. After 130 days of riding she had covered {{convert|29774|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}, beating Billie Fleming's female record of {{convert|29603.7|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} which had stood since 1938.{{cite web|url=https://totalwomenscycling.com/news/amanda-coker-smashes-annual-mileage-record#yFXcsbxHxIGMAPjV.97|title=Amanda Coker Smashes Annual Mileage Record|accessdate=6 June 2017|author=Jessica Strange|date=26 September 2016}} In April 2017 she surpassed the previous overall record of {{convert|76076|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} set by Kurt Searvogel. In May 2017 she completed the year, setting a new record of {{convert|86573|mi|km|0}},{{cite web|url=http://road.cc/content/news/222747-amanda-coker-ends-epic-year-riding-more-86000-miles-%E2%80%93-and-now-aiming-100000|title=Amanda Coker ends epic year of riding with more than 86,000 miles – and is now aiming for 100,000|author=Simon MacMichael|date=17 May 2017|publisher=road.cc}} beating the previous record by over {{convert|10000|mi|km|0}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.bicycling.com/rides/records/is-amanda-coker-for-real/slide/1|title=Is Amanda Coker For Real?|date=14 May 2017|author=Ian Dille|work=Bicycling|publisher=Rodale Inc.}} During the attempt, her longest ride in a single day was {{convert|302|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}, completed on the penultimate day.
After setting the new record, Coker continued cycling, seeking to break the record for the shortest time to cover {{convert|100000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}. For 77 years that record was held by Tommy Godwin, who set off in January 1939 and reached the {{convert|100000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} mark in May 1940, after 500 days of cycling. On July 11, 2017, Coker reached {{convert|100000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}, after 423 days of cycling.{{cite web|website=Bike Forums|url=http://www.bikeforums.net/long-distance-competition-ultracycling-randonneuring-endurance-cycling/1109767-coker-still-going.html|title=Coker still going?}}
On October 23, 2021, Coker set a new road record of 512.506 miles (824.8 km) in 24 hours, and became the first woman to break {{convert|500|mi|km}} in 24 hours riding solo. During the record attempt, she also broke 10 other WUCA/Guinness World records for other various durations and distances.{{Cite web |title=Amanda Coker - 24 hour Road Record - 2021-10-23 |url=https://ultracycling.com/archive/record/amanda-coker-24-hour-road-record-2021-10-23/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=World UltraCycling Association |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Greatest distance cycled in 24 hours (WUCA) (female) (Road) |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/673101-greatest-distance-cycled-in-24-hours-wuca-female-road |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}
References
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Category:American female cyclists
Category:Ultra-distance cyclists