Tokyo Paralympics: Great Britain name three Rio gold medallists in rowing squad
- Published
The mixed coxed four added to their medal haul at the European Championships this year
Three Rio gold medallists have been named in the Great Britain rowing team for the Tokyo Paralympics.
Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley will defend the mixed double sculls title they won five years ago.
James Fox retains his place in the mixed coxed four alongside debutants Giedre Rakauskaite, Ellen Buttrick, Oliver Stanhope and cox Erin Kennedy.
Benjamin Pritchard will also be making his first Paralympic appearance after being named in the men's single scull.
The Welshman was left paralysed from the waist down after a cycling crash in September 2016.
"If someone had told me five years ago that I'd be about to compete at the Paralympics, I'd have said 'no chance'," he said.
"I didn't even know what Paralympic rowing was. My accident happened in the middle of Rio 2016 so it's quite special that five years on I'm now headed to Tokyo."
Former wheelchair racer Rowles and Whiteley are also the current world champions in their event and won European gold in Varese, Italy earlier this year.
"Rio was was about doing it for a seven-year-old me, whose childhood dream was to become a Paralympian," said Rowles.
"Now, going into my second Games, it's about doing it for the next generation and building a legacy that will hopefully inspire other seven year-olds to take up sport."
GB has a long unbeaten record in the mixed coxed four at world and Paralympic level, stretching back to 2011, with the current quartet also the reigning world and European champions.
Fox is the sole survivor from the boat which won gold at the Lagoa Stadium in 2016 and wants to keep up the unbeaten record on the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo Bay.
"Everything happens for a reason" Para-rower Ben Pritchard on being named to Paralympics
"It's been a longer Paralympic cycle than we're used to but I feel incredibly relieved that it's going ahead," he said.
"Despite limited recent racing, we've built up strong momentum over the past few years and a record of results.
"I feel like we win because we train really hard, do a lot of things right and have an incredible crew bond and we can't wait to try and keep that record intact in Tokyo."
The Tokyo Paralympics run from 24 August-5 September with the rowing events scheduled for 27-29 August.