BROMSGROVE paralympian Lauren Rowles will be gunning for gold at this year’s 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio after she was selected for Team GB’s rowing squad.
The King Edward VI College will make her first ever Paralympics appearance and is part of a nine-strong squad who all won medals at last year’s World Championships in France.
Rowles will join up with Laurence Whiteley in a new look mixed double sculls (TAMix2x).
The Marlow RC member made her senior GB Rowing Team debut at the World Championships in Aiguebelette where she partnered Whitely in the mixed trunk-arms double scull and won a silver medal.
In February 2012, Rowles lost the use of her legs when she was diagnosed with a rare paralysing condition.
However, she was determined to maintain an active lifestyle and started searching for a para-sport.
She decided to become a wheelchair track athlete and competed for England at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in the T53/54 1,500m.
She was also crowned England under-16s champion at 100m, 200m and 1,500m during 2014 and captained the Midlands at the UK School Games before turning to rowing.
Rowles said: “Being selected to represent your country at a Paralympic Games is the biggest honour and wouldn’t be achievable without the support I’ve received from the coaches and specialists on the GB Rowing Team and also my mother who continuously supports me.
“It fills me with a great sense of pride to be part of such a powerful and successful team and I am very much looking forward to producing a good performance in Rio.”
Louise Kingsley, team leader for rowing, added: “I am extremely proud that we are able to announce a full para-rowing team, this has only been achieved through the dedication and hard work of all of our coaches and support staff.
“The quality of international competition has increased significantly since London 2012, we had a great World Championships in 2015 however, some very good new crews have achieved qualification slots this year for the Paralympic Games so we will leave no stone unturned as we challenge for places on the podium in Rio.”
