Paralympic Games: Winning finale to golden summer at Eton Dorney

GREAT BRITAIN’S glorious summer of rowing at Eton Dorney ended on a fittingly victorious note with a gold medal for the LTA mixed coxed fours.

David Smith, James Roe, Naomi Riches, Pam Relph and cox Lily van den Broecke held off a fierce challenge from chief rivals Germany to win Britain’s only Paralympic rowing medal.

The final day of the regatta had threatened to fall flat after Tom Aggar lost his Paralympic title and his five-year unbeaten streak, finishing a surprise fourth in the AS men’s single sculls final. Nick Beighton and Samantha Scowen then produced a performance to proud of in the TA mixed double sculls final but came so close to the medals that fourth place was ultimately hard for them to swallow.

Britain’s Paralympians had been set a target of following on from the most successful Olympic regatta ever by winning one to two medals.

It was the GB mixed coxed four who delivered yesterday, adding the Paralympic title to their world with a victory over chief rivals 
Germany founded on sheer guts and determination.