Helene Raynsford

Although Helene announced her retirement from rowing in April this year, due to ill health, she has now returned to good health and is eager to start competitive rowing again in the hope of being considered for GB's World Championship Paralympic Team. 

Helene is rowing's first ever Paralympic Champion in the AW1x having won gold at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. Unfortunately injury prevented her from gaining World Championship selection in 2009.

She started rowing in 2005 as part of a summer cross-training programme and subsequently took up rowing full-time with Guildford Rowing Club.  She became World Champion in the AW1x in 2006 in her first year of international rowing. 

A British indoor and outdoor rowing champion, Helene finished 5th at the 2007 World Championships to qualify the women's single for the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Helene previously competed as part of the GB Women's Wheelchair Basketball team who won Paralympic World Cup silver medals in 2005 and 2006.

Helene is a medical biochemist but has put her career in Public Health on hold while she focuses on her rowing.  She also works for the Youth Sport Trust as an Athlete Mentor, working with young people who are disengaged from education.  In her spare time Helene enjoys film editing, photography and cooking.

Helene is lottery funded through UK Sport.