Paralympic Rowing: Our Stories
Paralympians are as varied as their disabilities. Watch some of our stories below and find your place in our future squad.
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Gregg Stevenson (PR2) – Double Amputee
Gregg Stevenson became a double amputee after a blast injury whilst on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009. After joining the GB Rowing Team in 2023, he’s now a record-holding World and European Champion and has qualified his boat for Paris 2024.
Ellen Buttrick (PR3) – Visual Impairment
Just 12 months after attending a Para Talent ID day, Ellen Buttrick became a World Champion in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four. She subsequently defended her title at the 2019 World Championships in Linz, Austria and won a gold medal at Tokyo 2020.
Benjamin Pritchard (PR1) – Spinal injury
A former cyclist and triathlete, Benjamin became paralysed from the waist down after a cycling crash in September 2016.
Benjamin discovered a natural talent and love for the sport, making his GB Rowing Team International debut in the PR1 men’s single sculls at the 2019 World Championships. He came fifth at the delayed Tokyo Paralympic Games, setting a Paralympic record in the process. Since then, Benjamin has achieved two World Championship podiums and has qualified the PR1 Men’s single for Paris where he is aiming to improve on his Tokyo performance.
Lauren Rowles (PR2) – Spinal injury
After just one year in the sport, Lauren Rowles was crowned Paralympic champion at the Rio 2016 Games. She was a former wheelchair racer but turned to rowing after meeting the British Rowing Para scouts at her spinal centre, Stoke Mandeville.
Lauren and her doubles partner Gregg have been World Champions for the last two years, set multiple World Records and are set firmly on Paris 2024 after qualifying their boat in 2023.
Xander Van Der Poll (PR1) – Spinal injury
Callum Russell (PR1) – Spinal injury
Callum Russell is a former semi-professional mountain biker who turned to rowing after injury. He won a bronze medal at World Rowing Cup II 2022 whilst training on the Paralympic Pathway at Agecroft Rowing Club in Salford.
He has since transitioned to hand biking.