Aggar (pictured above), who has won the world title for the last four years in a row, comes into the Games as the hot favourite to pick up another gold medal in the arms and shoulders only single scull.

Unbeaten since 2007, Aggar – whose event first appeared at the Paralympics in Beijing four years ago – has started this year well too, winning the Varese International.

"I set out four years ago, post-Beijing, to defend my title on home water and I am so proud that I have been selected to represent my country and compete at the London Paralympic Games," said the 28-year-old Londoner.

Andy Houghton, Aggar's training partner, took bronze at the Munich World Cup earlier this year and will also be optimistic of competing for a medal at London 2012 after being named on the ParalympicsGB rowing squad.

"I'd like to congratulate all the rowers selected today," said Craig Hunter, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission.

"Rowing is the newest sport on the Paralympic programme, but British rowers made a real impact in Beijing.

"Like their Olympic counterparts, the rowing team are in great shape and train incredibly hard so I can't wait to see how they will do on home water."

Britain will also look to take home a medal in the mixed adaptive coxed four, in which they claimed bronze four years' ago.


The quartet of James Roe, David Smith, Naomi Riches and Pamela Relph (pictured above, left to right), with cox Lily van den Broecke, who won the World Championships in Bled last year, are all selected.

For Riches it will be a second successive Paralympics, but she is the only remaining member of the crew from Beijing 2008.

"Competing at the London Paralympic Games is something that I have thought of every day since the 2012 host country was announced in 2005; as each year passed it became more real and now it is just days away," Riches said.

Smith was formerly involved in bobsleigh and came into rowing after recovering from a life threatening neck tumour.

Relph, meanwhile, has a sister, Monica, who has also competed for Britain on the international stage, while Roe is a 2009 and 2011 world champion, and Van den Broecke is a student from Durham University.

Nick Beighton and Sam Scowen (pictured below, left and right) complete the line up in the mixed adaptive double scull.

The pair came sixth at the final of the World Championships in Slovenia last year to qualify for the Paralympics.

Beighton, meanwhile, has only been involved in the sport since 2011.

He was a captain in the British army, who was injured in Afghanistan and found rowing through the services rehabilitation centre.


"I am proud to have served my country in the Armed Forces and now this is a great honour to represent my country again in a completely different way," he said.

"It has been a long hard journey since I was injured two and a half years ago and I just want to take this opportunity to thank the countless number of people who have helped me along the way.

"I would not have achieved this without their support and encouragement.

"It is a unique opportunity to compete in a home Olympic Games and truly a once in a lifetime chance.

"Having the support of the nation behind us will hopefully lift our performance to the highest level.

"I can't wait."

GB Rowing team performance director David Tanner said: "We are ambitious to show well at the home Games as part of a well-prepared and focused ParalympicsGB team.

"We are aware that other nations have been developing and funding their Paralympic rowing programmes since Beijing and look forward to some great racing at Dorney during the Games."

Rowing will take place from August 31 to September 2 this summer at Eton Dorney.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
June 2012: Team GB mixed adaptive coxed four takes victory over Germany in Munich
June 2012: British Paralympic rowing star Tom Aggar praises support team in quest for London 2012
December 2011: I won't be happy with anything less than gold at London 2012, says rower Smith
October 2011: Britain's Aggar nominated for 2011 World Rowing Award
September 2011: British adaptive four regain world title from Canada