Afghanistan veteran qualifies quota place for Paris Paralympic Games
Former Royal Engineer Gregg Stevenson and double Paralympic Champion Lauren Rowles have qualified a quota place for next year's Paralympic Games in the PR2 mixed double sculls.
The pair won their heat to progress to the A finals at the World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, beating their World Best Time (WBT) of 08:00.57, their third WBT this season.
Their victory in their heat gains their boat an automatic qualification to the Paralympic Games in Paris next year.
Speaking to British Rowing, Stevenson's teammate Rowles said: "It is incredible and I’m feeling emotional about qualifying for Paris in a World Best Time with this guy.
"We’ve worked really hard. A year ago we weren’t even rowing together, and now we’ve booked our slot for Paris - it’s just a very proud day for both of us and I think you could see that on the finish line.
"These things are to be celebrated. It’s not every day that you qualify for a Paralympic Games!"
Stevenson and Rowles have the opportunity to add a world championship medal to their World Cup gold as well as the European Championship gold that they won earlier this year.
They will compete in the A finals of the PR2 mixed double sculls on Saturday 9 September.
Stevenson, who served in 24 Commando Royal Engineers, lost one leg above the knee and the other below when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol in Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2009.
He took up rowing in 2012, where he went on to compete at the Invictus Games in 2014.
Meanwhile, cox Erin Kennedy, whose husband serves in the Army, helped qualify the first Team GB boat to next year's Paralympic Games where she and her teammates won their heat in style in the PR3 mixed coxed four.
Army rower Lance Corporal Stephen Cox, who competes for Zimbabwe, placed fifth in his heat in the men's singles sculls the previous day.
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