Three-Time Paralympic Champion Lauren Rowles Retires from Rowing, Returns to Wheelchair Racing

Lauren Rowles OBE, widely regarded as the greatest Paralympic rower of all time, has announced her retirement from rowing after a decade of remarkable achievements, including winning three consecutive Paralympic gold medals and multiple World and European championships. At 27, Rowles is the only athlete globally to have won three Paralympic golds in rowing, with victories spanning Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. She plans to return to wheelchair racing, the sport where she began her elite athletic career and which she last competed in at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Rowles expressed that retirement from rowing was motivated by her desire for a new challenge and to balance family life after becoming a parent. She views her return to wheelchair racing as completing an unfinished journey and aims to compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Throughout her career, Rowles has been a passionate advocate for sport inclusion and the LGBTQ+ community, and she intends to continue inspiring others in her new athletic chapter.