Just two-and-a-half years after he was injured while serving as a British Army
captain in Afghanistan, Nick Beighton was selected on Wednesday to head a
list of eight ParalympicsGB rowers at the London 2012 Games.
Beighton only started the Paralympic
sport in 2011 when he used a rowing machine as part of his recovery at
the armed forces rehabilitation centre in Headley Court.
He will compete alongside Sam Scowen in the mixed adaptive double skull event
with the pair having qualified for the Games after a sixth-placed finish at
the World Championships last year.
"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 wouldn't 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."
Reigning Paralympic and World Champion Tom Aggar will bid to retain his title in the "arms and shoulders only" single scull that he won when rowing made its Paralympic debut in Beijing in 2008.
Aggar, who is unbeaten since 2007, said: "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."
Great Britain also won bronze in the mixed adaptive coxed four in Beijing and ParalympicsGB has named the crew which won the world title last year – Pamela Relph, Naomi Riches, Dave Smith and James Roe with cox Lily van den Broecke – to compete in London.
Riches, who is the only surviving member of the victorious Beijing crew, said: "Competing at the London Paralympic Games is something that I have thought of every day since the 2012 host country was announced in 2006.
"As each year passed it became more real and now it is just days away.
"I am so excited about this summer, the training leading into the Games and the Games themselves. Being part of this crew is incredible beyond words let alone competing on home water in front of a home crowd."
His fellow crew member Smith will take part in the Games after recovering from a life-threatening tumour in his neck in 2009.
Despite a subsequently successful operation to remove the tumour, Smith spent a year in rehabilitation while he learnt to learn to walk again before he could contemplate a return to training.
He said: "To be competing on home water is a great prospect, and knowing that we will have a huge support from British supporters is an amazing feeling".
The Paralympic rowing takes place for three days from August 31 with all medals decided on September 2.
"Having the support of the nation behind us will hopefully lift our performance to the highest level. I can't wait."
Reigning Paralympic and World Champion Tom Aggar will bid to retain his title in the "arms and shoulders only" single scull that he won when rowing made its Paralympic debut in Beijing in 2008.
Aggar, who is unbeaten since 2007, said: "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."
Great Britain also won bronze in the mixed adaptive coxed four in Beijing and ParalympicsGB has named the crew which won the world title last year – Pamela Relph, Naomi Riches, Dave Smith and James Roe with cox Lily van den Broecke – to compete in London.
Riches, who is the only surviving member of the victorious Beijing crew, said: "Competing at the London Paralympic Games is something that I have thought of every day since the 2012 host country was announced in 2006.
"As each year passed it became more real and now it is just days away.
"I am so excited about this summer, the training leading into the Games and the Games themselves. Being part of this crew is incredible beyond words let alone competing on home water in front of a home crowd."
His fellow crew member Smith will take part in the Games after recovering from a life-threatening tumour in his neck in 2009.
Despite a subsequently successful operation to remove the tumour, Smith spent a year in rehabilitation while he learnt to learn to walk again before he could contemplate a return to training.
He said: "To be competing on home water is a great prospect, and knowing that we will have a huge support from British supporters is an amazing feeling".
The Paralympic rowing takes place for three days from August 31 with all medals decided on September 2.
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