Paralympian tom aggar breaks world rowing record at royal docks club

By Simon Hayes on May 15, 2008 9:00 AM |

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ONE OF Britain’s brightest Paralympic hopes boosted his chances of gold in Beijing when he smashed his own world record over the weekend.

British adaptive rower Tom Aggar set a new world best for the single sculls at the FISA invitation meeting at the London Regatta Centre on Saturday.

The Royal Docks venue saw Aggar complete the 1,000m course in five minutes four seconds, shaving nine seconds off the mark he set when he won the world championships in Germany last September.

Aggar’s achievement, in the arms-only category, is all the more impressive as he only started rowing 18 months ago, after being paralysed from the waist down by a spinal injury in 2005.

Adaptive rowing, where the boat seat is fixed and the scullers use only their arms, is one of the sports most demanding disciplines but Aggar, 23, has taken to it like a duck to water.

The former rugby player is now hot favourite to take gold at the Paralympic Games in Beijing later this year. It will be adaptive rowing’s first appearance at the Games and Britain has an excellent chance of gold medals in three of the four disciplines, according to Simon Goodey, director of rowing at the London Regatta Centre.

“Great Britain is the leading federation in regular rowing and also adaptive competition,�? he said. “It’s a very well funded programme, thanks to the success of people like Steve Redgrave, so we haven’t got an excuse not to do well.

"The adaptive rowers benefit from Lottery funding so they have excellent equipment and more time to train. It’s great for the sport. But we need to widen the base in the build up to the London Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, to increase participation and awareness. That’s why Tom’s achievements are extra special.�?

For more information on the London Regatta Centre, visit www.londonyouthrowing.com