Naomi Riches

Adaptive Rowing featured once in the 2010 World Cup Series, at Bled, where Naomi won gold in the LTAMix4+.  This followed the two gold medals she won in the same boat at the Varese International Adaptive Regatta in May this year.

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 this year.

She raced in the same boat class at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and won a bronze medal and has already won gold at the Varese International and Munich World Cup Regattas this season in the coxed four. 

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, taking gold in the 2004 World Championships.

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.

Outside her rowing, Naomi has completed her studies for a BA in Metalwork and Jewellery Design.

Naomi is Lottery Funded through UK Sport.