Rowing at the Summer Paralympics has been part of the competition since the 2008 Summer Paralympics. Rowing as a sport has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1896 Summer Olympics. Pararowing at the Paralympics is under the jurisdiction of the International Rowing Federation (or FISA, its French acronym) the same as the Olympics.
Disciplines and events DisciplineEventYear IntroducedMen's single sculls AS (Arms and Shoulders) PR1M1x2008, as A (Arms only) Women's Single ScullsAS (Arms and Shoulders) PR1W1x2008, as A (Arms only) Mixed Double Sculls TA (Trunk and Arms) PR2Mix2x2008Mixed Double ScullsLTA (Legs, Trunk and Arms) PR3Mix2x2024Mixed Four CoxedLTA (Legs, Trunk and Arms) PR3Mix4+2008
Race distances Through the 2016 Rio Paralympics all races were raced over a 1000 m straight course. Beginning with the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, competition is raced over the same 2000 m course as the Olympics.
Qualification There is a limited number of crews permitted to race, so the International Rowing Federation holds qualification events in order to determine who competes at the Paralympic Games. At the Paralympic Games, each National Olympic Committee can only have one boat per event.
Medalists
As of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the most successful Paralympic rower is Great Britain's Lauren Rowles, the only para rower with three Games gold medals, all achieved in the mixed double sculls. While a Great Britain team has won four consecutive mixed coxed four gold medals, itself a record for an individual event, no rower has appeared in that team more than twice. Five British rowers have won two gold medals.
The only non-British rower with two gold medals is the Ukrainian single sculler, Roman Polianskyi in 2016 and 2021, and who added a silver in 2024, making him the most successful male rower in Paralympic history. Australian single sculler Erik Horrie is the most decorated para rowing athlete with four medals, three silvers and a bronze, and the only medalist across four editions of the Games, but is yet to win gold.
Men
Single sculls - 2008– 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Women
Single sculls - 2008–
20082012 2016 2020 2024
Mixed
Mixed double sculls AD - 2008–2020
2008 Zhou Yangjing Shan Zilong John Maclean Kathryn Ross Elton Santana Josiane Lima 2012Lou XiaoxianFei TianmingPerle BougeStephane TardieuOksana MastersRob Jones 2016 Lauren RowlesLaurence Whiteley Liu ShuangFei Tianming Perle BougeStéphane Tardieu 2020 Laurence WhiteleyLauren Rowles Annika van der MeerCorné de Koning Liu ShuangJiang Jijian
In 2024, the mixed double sculls was split into two events;
the Mix2xPR2, which included most of the previous double scullers, and the higher ability Mix2xPR3 class
Mixed double sculls PR2 - 2020– 2024 Lauren RowlesGregg Stevenson Liu ShuangJiang Jijian Shahar MilfelderSaleh Shahin
Mixed double sculls PR3 - 2020– 2024 Nikki AyersJed Altschwager Sam MurrayAnnie Caddick Jan HelmichHermine Krumbein
Mixed cox four - 2008–In 2024 the mixed double sculls was renamed a PR3 event - Mix4+PR3. The event itself, however, remained unchanged.
2008 Paola Protopapa Luca Agoletto Daniele Signore Graziana Saccocci Cox: Alessandro Franzetti Emma Preuschl Tracy Tackett Jesse Karmazin Jamie Dean Cox: Simona Chin Vicki Hansford Naomi Riches Alastair McKean James Morgan Cox: Alan Sherman 2012Pam RelphNaomi RichesDavid SmithJames RoeLily van den Broecke (Cox)Anke MolkenthinAstrid HengsbachTino KolitscherKai KruseKatrin Splitt (Cox)Andrii StelmakhKateryna MorozovaOlena PukhaievaDenys SobolVolodymyr Kozlov (Cox) 2016 Grace CloughDaniel BrownPam RelphJames FoxOliver James Jaclyn SmithDanielle HansenZachary BurnsDorian WeberJennifer Sichel Victoria NolanMeghan MontgomeryAndrew ToddCurtis HalladayKristen Kit2020 Ellen ButtrickGiedrė RakauskaitėJames FoxOliver StanhopeErin Kennedy Allie ReillyDanielle HansenCharley NordinJohn TanguayKaren Petrik Erika SauzeauAntoine JeselRémy TarantoMargot BouletRobin le Barreau 2024 Francesca AllenGiedrė RakauskaitėJosh O'BrienEd FullerErin Kennedy (cox) Skylar DahlGemma WollenschlaegerAlex FlynnBen WashburneEmelie Eldracher (cox) Candyce ChafaRémy TarantoGrégoire BireauMargot BouletÉmilie Acquistapace (cox)
Medal table Updated after the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Nations List of all athletes that participated in all events (both men's and women's). Nations 23 23 25 25 New Nations 23 3 6 5 37 Competitors 108 108 108 108 432
See also Rowing at the Summer Olympics List of rowing venues - includes Olympic venues and non Olympic venues
References
External links Olympic Rowing Medalists at HickokSports.com