“Get ready to be inspired by the extraordinary stories and stellar performances of Great Britain’s Paralympic rowing team. With a squad of ten fierce competitors and remarkable life journeys, they’re poised to leave a lasting impression in Paris”
Great Britain’s Paralympic rowing team is gearing up to dazzle at the upcoming Games in Paris, continuing the legacy of excellence established by their Olympic counterparts. Since rowing was introduced to the Paralympics in Beijing 2008, Team GB has clinched gold in every event—and they’re determined to uphold that tradition and push boundaries even further.
This year’s team of ten para-athletes will compete in four events, each with the potential to secure medals and tell a captivating story. Their roster includes a coffee connoisseur, a cancer advocate, and a former Invictus Games competitor, with two athletes having embraced parenthood in the past year.
Among them is the PR3 mixed coxed four, consisting of Giedre Rakauskaite, Frankie Allen, Ed Fuller, and Josh O’Brien, coxed by Erin Kennedy. This crew aims to extend a stunning 13-year winning streak. The pressure of maintaining this unbeaten record has been harnessed positively as they strive to break their own world best time. Rakauskaite describes the legacy as a profound honor, while Kennedy, who won gold in Tokyo and has openly shared her battle with breast cancer, brings invaluable experience and resilience to the team. Her return to victory at the 2023 European Championships, just a year after her diagnosis, underscores her dedication and advocacy for women’s health.
The PR3 mixed double sculls is making its debut this year, with Sam Murray and Annie Caddick making significant strides in this new event. Their impressive season, highlighted by a bronze medal at the European Championships, sets the stage for what promises to be a nail-biting race.
In the PR2 mixed double sculls, double Paralympic champion Lauren Rowles teams up with Gregg Stevenson, a former Royal Engineers commando who made a remarkable transition to rowing after a traumatic injury in 2009. Stevenson, whose journey from Invictus Games hopeful to Paralympic contender is nothing short of inspiring, and Rowles, aiming for her third consecutive gold medal, are a formidable pair. Rowles’s shift from wheelchair track racing to rowing and her advocacy for greater inclusion in sports adds a personal and powerful dimension to their campaign.
Ben Pritchard, competing in the PR1 men’s single sculls, brings a unique blend of passion and expertise to the team. A Welshman who found solace and purpose in rowing after an accident left him in a wheelchair, Pritchard is not only a skilled rower but also a coffee expert. His journey from fifth place in Tokyo to world championship bronze and a recent World Cup gold medal illustrates his relentless drive for success.
As Great Britain’s Paralympic rowers take to the water in Paris, their Olympic counterparts’ narrow finishes will have sharpened their competitive edge. Expect to see a blend of inspirational stories, dramatic finishes, and emotional moments from this exceptional team.
