Parasports are sports played by people with a disability, including physical and intellectual disabilities. Some parasports are forms of adapted physical activities from existing non-disabled sports, while others have been specifically created for persons with a disability and do not have a non-disabled equivalent. Disability exists in four categories: physical, mental, permanent and temporary. At a competitive level, disability sport classifications are applied to allow people of varying abilities to face similar opposition.
World Rowing, also known as the World Rowing Federation, is the international governing body for rowing. Its current president is Jean-Christophe Rolland who succeeded Denis Oswald at a ceremony held in Lucerne in July 2014.
Para-athletics is the sport of athletics practiced by people with a disability as a parasport. The athletics events within the parasport are mostly the same as those available to able-bodied people, with two major exceptions in wheelchair racing and the club throw, which are specific to the division. The sport is known by various names, including disability athletics, disabled track and field and Paralympic athletics. Top-level competitors may be called elite athletes with disability.
Jessica Gallagher is an Australian Paralympic alpine skier, track and field athlete, tandem cyclist and rower. She was Australia's second female Winter Paralympian, and the first Australian woman to win a medal at the Winter Paralympics at the 2010 Vancouver Games. She competed at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, where she won a bronze medal in the women's giant slalom visually impaired.
Gavin Bellis is an Australian Paralympic rower. He represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in rowing and with Kathryn Ross won gold medals at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 World Rowing Championships. He partnered Ross at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Adaptive rowing classification is the classification system used for adaptive rowing. It is based on functional ability and is broken down into three specific classifications. This system is governed by Federation Internationale de Societes d'Aviron. Eligible competitors have a physical or visual disability.
The United States competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. The first places the team qualified were for three athletes in sailing events. They also qualified athletes in archery, goalball, shooting, swimming, and wheelchair basketball.
Israel competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. They are scheduled to compete in sailing, cycling, shooting, and rowing.
Moran Samuel is an Israeli paralympic basketball player and world champion rower. She was chosen to light a ceremonial torch on Israel's Independence Day in 2019. She represented Israel at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. She won a gold medal competing for Israel at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the Women's single sculls.
Lauren Rachel Catherine Rowles, is a British parasport rower and former wheelchair athlete. She won gold with Laurence Whiteley in the trunk-arms mixed double sculls (TAMix2x) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.The pair repeated their achievement in Tokyo at the 2021 Summer Paralympics.
Laurence Whiteley is a British parasport rower. He won gold with Lauren Rowles in the trunk-arms mixed double sculls (TAMix2x) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
The Zimbabwe Rowing team at the 2016 Summer Paralympics was the first rowing team to represent their country at a Paralympic Games. The team entered the para mixed coxed four finishing last in their event. The team consisted of rowers Margret Bangajena, Michelle Garnett, Takudzwa Gwariro and Previous Wiri and their cox Jessica Davis. Managed by Davis' mother, Rachel Davies, the team captured the imagination of the press due to the unlikely story of the crew's formation and the hardships they faced on reaching the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Germany competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. This was their sixteenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1960.
France competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021.
Katrin Splitt is a German former adaptive rower who competed at international elite competitions. She is a Paralympic silver medalist and a two-time World bronze medalist in the mixed coxed four.
Brittni Mason is an American Paralympic sprinter. Born with Erb's palsy limiting her movement in her left shoulder and arm, she has won gold medals in the 100 meters at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, mixed 4 × 100 meters relay at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, and the 200 meters at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, under the T47 class.
Francesca "Frankie" Allen is a British adaptive rower who competes in international rowing competitions. She is a three-time World champion and three-time European champion in the mixed coxed four. She has been selected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
Emma Tjerrild Lund is a Danish Paralympic cyclist who competes in international cycling competitions. She is a World champion and double European bronze medalists in road bicycle racing and had qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
Yuliya Chernoy is an Israeli para-athlete in para-rowing and para-shooting. She won a gold medal in the 10-meter prone position rifle competition at the 2022 European Team Championship, a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in Abu Dhabi, and two medals at the 2023 World Championships in Lima. She is competing for Israel at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
