Naomi Riches
At the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Naomi won Gold in the LTA mixed coxed four with crewmates Pamela Relph, David Smith, James Roe and (cox), Lily van den Broecke
In Munich at the first World Cup of 2011 Naomi raced in one of two GB LTAMix4+ boats to take gold with Germany in 2nd and the other GB boat taking bronze.
Previously a keen swimmer, Naomi was a National Disabled Swimming Champion at the age of 12. She also competed for her local disabled swimming team at the London Youth Games at Crystal Palace for four successive years, winning silver and gold medals. She is registered blind.
Naomi was introduced to rowing whilst she was at the Royal National Institute for the Blind College in Worcester. She did not take it up seriously however until she attended an ARA Adaptive Rowing Awareness Day at the London Regatta Centre in April 2004. Just four months later Naomi was a World Champion in the LTAMix4+, taking gold at the 2004 World Championships.
She raced in the same boat class at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and won a bronze medal.
Naomi won gold in the adaptive mixed coxed four at the 2009 World Championships in Poznan; this success achieved by a crew with two rowers and the cox completely new to World Level rowing that year. The crew had also taken gold at the Varese International and Munich World Cup Regattas.
Outside her rowing, Naomi has completed her studies for a BA in Metalwork and Jewellery Design.
Naomi is Lottery Funded through UK Sport.




