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Riverside Dr
Perth, WA
Australia

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More than sport

WEST AUSSIES SHINE IN PARA-ROWING TRIALS

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MEDIA RELEASE

  • Half an Australian para-rowing squad from the West Australian Rowing Club
  • Three WARC athletes will head to Sydney from January 26 to 31 for an elite training camp
  • Will be joined by another three WARC members for national selection trials ahead of Rio2016

Three of the six athletes set to compete for a spot in the coveted Leg, Trunk and Arms crew for the Rio 2016 Paralympics are from Western Australia.

Athletes Davinia Lefroy, Brock Ingram and Kevin Wall have been training at the West Australian Rowing Club in Perth under the guidance of coach Catriona Walker to prepare for selections.

“This is the first time the WA Rowing Club has had an adaptive rowing squad, and to have all our athletes make it to this part of the selection process is testament to their work and determination,” Walker said.

The three athletes have another round of individual rowing machine testing next month, and will then compete in New South Wales State Championships, then National Team Trials in February, ahead of the September 7 Games.

Club captain Nick Wakeford said the team from the club would be rounded out three by senior athletes who will be looking to secure a berth in an Olympic crew: Men’s scullers Matthew Cochran and Rhys Grant, and Olympic veteran Hannah Vermeersch in the women’s sweep boats.

Veermeersch was bowman in the high-profile “Motley Crew” women’s eight which qualified against the odds to make the start line for London2012.

She was the youngest rower in the team at the time.

“Many Western Australian rowers face additional logistical challenges to get to selection camps and trials, which are all held in Sydney,” Wakeford said.

“As a club, we support them in every way we can to lessen the financial and emotional burden of training in WA and then having to perform quite often after long flights in equipment they are perhaps not familiar with.”

FACT FILE

  • There is one Olympic event for “LTA” – or Leg, Trunk and Arms athletes at Rio2016: A coxed four with two female and two male rowers.
  • For the full list of athletes to compete in the next round of selections, visit rowingaustralia.com.au
  • The West Australian Rowing Club is on Riverside Drive, about 150m east of Barrack Square and is housed in a heritage-listed building. For more, visit warowingclub.org

 Media contact: Peta Rule, 0428 923 661 or petabreerule@gmail.com