Town to host medal-winning rowers homecoming parade

Emily Craig and Imogen Grant celebrate with their gold medals

A homecoming celebration for Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic rowers will take place in Henley-on-Thames.

The event will see members of the teams take part in a row on the river before a parade through the town on an open top bus.

The rowers are also set to walk through an arch of oars held by members of local rowing clubs at the Town Hall.

The Heroes Return event on Saturday 21 September has been organised by the Leander Club, the home club of many of the team.

Sholto Carnegie, Rory Gibbs, Morgan Bolding, Jacob Dawson, Charles Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin, Tom Ford and Cox Harry Brightmore with their gold medals

Henley Town Council said at least 15 Team GB rowers were set to attend the celebrations. The Paralympic rowers involvement will be confirmed once the games in Paris are finished.

• 9:00 - 13:00: Road closures will be in place

• 09:30 - 10:30: The rowers will set off from the Leander Club, rowing under the Henley Bridge, around the island, and back

• 11:15: Parade sets off from Leander Club - Henley Bridge - Hart Street - Bell Street - New Street - Thameside - Hart Street - Market Place

The rowers are expected to spend a short time posing for photos and signing autographs in Market Place before setting off via bus at 12:30 for a private reception at the Leander Club.

The town council said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors to personally congratulate the athletes who have made Henley proud."

Children attending the event will be given flags and chocolate medals as souvenirs.

Britain's rowing medallists at Paris 2024

Britain finished the Paris Olympics with a record haul of eight medals, beating their previous best at an overseas games.

The Olympic medal winners were:

Gold

• Men's eight - Sholto Carnegie, Rory Gibbs, Morgan Bolding, Jacob Dawson, Charlie Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin, Tom Ford and cox Harry Brightmore

• Women's lightweight double sculls - Emily Craig and Imogen Grant

• Women's quadruple sculls - Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott and Georgina Brayshaw

Silver

• Men's pair - Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Tom George

• Women's four - Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten

Bronze

• Women's eight - Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar, Holly Dunford, Emily Ford, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Harriet Taylor, Annie Campbell-Orde and cox Henry Fieldman

• Men's four - Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson

• Women's double sculls - Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde

The PR3 Mixed Cowed Four crew of (L-R) Erin Kennedy, Franke Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Ed Fuller and Josh O'Brien celebrate after winning gold at Paris 2024 Paralympics

Britain also won three golds and one silver from the five races at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Paralympics GB is the most successful rowing team since it was introduced to the games in 2008.

The Paralympic medal winners were:

Gold

• Men's single sculls - Ben Pritchard

• Mixed Double Sculls (PR2) - Lauren Rowles, Gregg Stevenson

• Mixed Coxed Four - Frankie Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Josh O'Brien, Ed Fuller, Erin Kenney (cox)

Silver

• Mixed Double Sculls (PR3) - Annie Caddick, Sam Murray