Ex Royal Engineer and Paralympic champion Gregg Stevenson retires from GB rowing

Former Royal Engineer Commando and Paralympic gold medallist Gregg Stevenson has retired from Para-rowing.

The 40-year-old won the PR2 mixed double sculls at Paris 2024, alongside partner Lauren Rowles, who he also won World and European titles with and they were crowned World Rowing Para Crew of the Year.

On his rowing career and journey to the Paralympics, Stevenson said: "I have learned a lot about myself and feel I have grown as a person since my involvement."

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He added: "It has been hard to imagine life without the goal of competing in the summer, even though my time within the team has been particularly short.

"However, I eagerly look forward to spending more time with my family and embarking on other exciting challenges.

"I will be forever grateful to everyone at GB Rowing and I hope to stay connected or offer my support in the future."

Stevenson lost both legs below the knee in an improvised explosive device blast while on patrol in Helmand Province in 2009.

Following rehabilitation, he regained his fitness and found a passion for rowing while trying out for the Invictus Games in 2018.

In 2023, Stevenson and Rowles developed their partnership in the PR2 Mixed Double sculls (PR2 Mix2x), becoming two-time European Champions and World Champions, continually lowering the world's best time as they went.

In Paris, they won Great Britain's third successive Paralympic gold in their division.

After trailing China with 100m to go in the 2,000m event, they timed their charge perfectly to snatch a dramatic victory in a time of 8 minutes 20.97 seconds.

Before rowing, he worked as a mental health practitioner for Op Courage, the NHS veteran-specific service, where he played a vital role in developing and improving coping strategies, increasing patient engagement and familiarity.

Stevenson is currently serving as the Armed Forces Lived Experience Lead for Op Courage North and, after completing his MSc in Psychology with distinction, he is now studying for a PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University.