Lauren Rowles began her quest for a third consecutive Paralympic gold medal with a strong performance in a new world best time.
The 26-year-old, along with PR2 mixed double sculls partner Greg Stevenson, went into the regatta aiming not only for another win but also to break the coveted eight-minute barrier over the 2,000m.
In the first heat, held in the rain on Friday morning in Vers-sur-Marne, the British duo finished first in 7 minutes 56.92 seconds – an incredible time and some 11 seconds faster than the runners-up, Jolanta Majka and Michal Godawski from Poland.
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For Lawless, this is the first step in her journey to Paris. The second step is to win gold in Sunday’s final.
Though she’s always up for a challenge, after Tokyo it wasn’t immediately clear what her next goal was.
Since teaming up with Laurence Whiteley in the sculling event at the Rio 2016 Games, Rowles has enjoyed unprecedented success, as they became the first athletes to win two Paralympic gold medals and were also world and European champions.
But Whiteley retired in June 2022 when Lawless began to waver: “I was going through a really difficult time mentally health-wise.” She admitted.
“I think a big part of that was that I didn’t know who I was away from the water. I don’t think I saw Lauren anywhere except when she was rowing.”
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But with the support of her fiancé Jude Hamer, who has represented Great Britain in wheelchair basketball at the past three Paralympic Games and understands the pressures of elite sport, Lawless has been able to recover mentally.
She rediscovered her talent for rowing and found a new sculling partner in Stevenson, a former soldier and amputee who had missed out on Rio and the Invictus Games but was still hungry for sporting success.
The rigorous training began, but the pair quickly proved to be a new power couple racing to glory. Coming to Paris with 10 international race wins, including last year’s world championships, and three world best times, they looked nearly unbeatable.
Another important development on the water was Lawless and Hammer welcome baby NoahMarch 2024.
“Becoming a mother has made everything so much stronger,” she added. “Having that family foundation and knowing that I can go back to an amazing support system when it’s all over is really important, and I’m really blessed to have that.”
That same month, Lawless Just like usa UK charity for LGBTQ young people.
It’s a role that means a lot to her, as she explains: In a recent interview with Sky Sports.
“I was bullied at school even before I came out as gay,” she says, and now, when she’s not rowing, she gives inspirational speeches to students at school, which she says brings her “queer joy” and a sense of purpose.
She touches on the challenges LGBTQ people with disabilities often face.
“We feel like we’re already discriminated against just because we have a disability,” she explains, “and we don’t want to discriminate against ourselves even more because we’re different.”
“That’s what I felt growing up. I was already being treated differently because of my disability. I already felt isolated in society.”
That’s why Rowles is incredibly proud to be representing both Paralympics GB and Team LGBTQ at the Paris Games.
“For so long we’ve been taught that we are the problem,” she added. “Now we’re starting to realize that it’s not just marginalized communities that are the problem, it’s society that is the problem.”
“These ideas that people have instilled in us are exactly what we are trying to break.”
With his focus firmly on Sunday’s final, Rowles is poised to make another run at the podium.
“Our goal was to be the best in the world and win the gold medal,” she said after Friday’s qualifying rounds.
“What’s important is to go out and win races and continue the tradition of this boat. I can’t wait to go out there with Greg and do that.”
Source: Outsports – www.outsports.com
