Duo become first GB rowing team to qualify for Rio 2016 Paralympics

Laurence Whiteley and Lauren Rowles become the first British rowers to qualify for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Laurence Whiteley and Lauren Rowles have become the first British rowing team to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

The Para-rowing mixed double scull competitors reached the World Championships final in France, which in turn resulted in qualification for Rio.

"I've spent two-and-three-quarter years waiting for this moment," BBC Sport quotes Whiteley as saying. "Our goal here was to qualify and it feels great."

Fifteen-year-old Rowles switched to rowing earlier this year after competing as a wheelchair racer for England at last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Britain's David Weir celebrates winning the men's wheelchair race in the Great North Run half marathon in South Shields, near Newcastle in northeast England on September 15, 2013
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