Paralympics 2024: A guide to Para-rowing at the Paris Games
Gregg Stevenson will be making his Paralympic debut alongside Lauren Rowles
- Published
Key information
Dates: 30 August-1 September
Venue: Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium
Gold medals on offer: Five
How does Para-rowing work?
There are five events on the Paralympic rowing programme: the men's and women's arms and shoulders-only single scull (PR1), two mixed double sculls events (PR2 and PR3) and the mixed coxed four (PR3).
All events are raced over 2,000 metres and competitors take part in heats and, where necessary, repechages before going on to contest the finals.
Competitors in the PR1 events do not have trunk or leg function and use strapping to provide support and balance.
PR2 rowers have arm and trunk function while PR3 rowers also have leg function and must be able to use a sliding seat to propel the boat.
In the four, a maximum of two rowers with visual impairment are allowed per crew while the other rowers in the crew have physical impairments. There must be two rowers of each sex in the crew. The cox can be of either sex and is not required to have an impairment.
Who are the GB medal hopes?
Lauren Rowles will bid to become the first British rower to win three Paralympic gold medals when she lines up with Gregg Stevenson in the PR2 mixed double sculls.
Rowles was victorious alongside Laurence Whiteley in both Rio and Tokyo and has formed an impressive partnership with Stevenson, a former Royal Engineer Commando.
The PR3 mixed coxed four boat has an unbeaten record at major championships going back to 2011 and this season's line-up features two defending champions in Giedre Rakauskaite and cox Erin Kennedy along with debutants Frankie Allen, Ed Fuller and Josh O'Brien.
Kennedy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 aged 29 and has undergone successful treatment.
Who are the other medal challengers?
Roman Polianskyi of Ukraine and Birgit Skarstein of Norway will both be hoping to retain their PR1 titles.
Polianskyi is bidding for his third consecutive gold after a build-up which has been affected by the war in his country.
Skarstein, who has also competed at the Winter Paralympics in Para Nordic skiing and is a former Dancing with the Stars contestant in her native country, is aiming for gold number two.
The USA have never won a Paralympic gold medal in rowing but they have good chances in the two PR3 events while China have been the main threat to the GB pair of Rowles and Stevenson in the PR2 competition.
Did you know?
Frenchman Laurent Cadot will join the ranks of athletes who have competed at both an Olympics and Paralympics when he takes to the water at Paris 2024.
Cadot represented his country at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and also at European and world championships.
During back surgery in 2012 he developed an infection before being diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder.
He came to Para-rowing in 2022 and won PR3 mixed double sculls World Championship gold that year and bronze last year with Elur Alberdi. With Alberdi having undergone treatment for cancer, Cadot will be competing with Guylaine Marchand at the Games.
ParalympicsGB Tokyo 2020 medals
Two golds: Mixed double sculls and mixed coxed fours