Army veteran Gregg Stevenson sets sights on Paralympic gold in Paris

Former Royal Engineer and para-rower Gregg Stevenson will represent Great Britain at is first-ever Paralympic Games in Paris.

The 39-year-old will appear in the PR2 Mixed Double Sculls event alongside his teammate Lauren Rowles, who won back-to-back gold in this event in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Rowles and Stevenson qualified their boat for Paris 2024 at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in a world-best time of 08:00.57 – the third WBT of their debut season. They remain unbeaten going into these games. 

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Speaking to BFBS Sport in Trafalgar Square in London, Stevenson said: "I can't believe I'm sat here to be honest!

"I've had a few goes at trying to get to this stage and not quite making it for a number of reasons.

"So yes, to be sat here now, it is a really proud moment."

The pair will go into these games as the reigning world champions and as back-to-back European champions and are the favourites to win the gold medal.

Stevenson said: "I think for me it's about stepping up to that mark.

"I think that's been a big evolution in me this year and in my thinking and saying, 'well, why not?' We've earned that right.

"We are the world record holders, we have won the races, we've [previously] raced against everybody that we're going to be racing against.

"So yeah, without being too cocky and obviously not taking our eye off the ball, you know, but owning that and, yeah, being proud of what we've achieved."

Rowles, who is aiming to be the first to ever win three consecutive Paralympic golds in her class, added: "For me, you've got to rise to the opportunity.

"I think exactly what Gregg says, we turn up every day, rise to the opportunity and we will hopefully go out and deliver in Paris."

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

He later became a qualified mental health practitioner and came close to making GB's para-rowing team for the 2016 Paralympics before initially retiring from rowing in 2018 until he returned to the water swiftly and successfully in 2022.

The Paralympics begin on 29 August with the rowing competition taking place between 30 August and 1 September.