Para-canoeists to race for a place in the history books at Rio 2016
The British Paralympic Association (BPA) today announced the six athletes selected to represent ParalympicsGB at Rio 2016 in the sport of para-canoe, set to feature on the Paralympic programme for the very first time this September.
While para-canoe is a new Paralympic sport, three of the selected athletes have already represented their country at a Games; Jeanette Chippington competed as a swimmer at five consecutive Paralympic Games from Seoul 88 to Atlanta 96, while Emma Wiggs and Nick Beighton made their Games debut at London 2012 in the sports of sitting volleyball and rowing.
Anne Dickens, Ian Marsden and Rob Oliver have been selected for their first Paralympic Games after joining the British Canoeing Performance Programme, which was first established in 2011 and has since gone from strength to strength.
All six selected athletes also claimed the title of National Champion in their respective classifications during trials at the National Sprint Regatta earlier this month.
Jeanette Chippington, who won 12 Paralympic medals during her swimming career before returning to international competition in a new sport, said:
“I still cannot quite believe that after 12 years of being retired from competitive sport I will be representing my country for the sixth time at the Paralympic Games. I feel very honoured and excited to have made the team. For four years I have trained so hard and made many sacrifices, but most importantly I have enjoyed the journey.”
Nick Beighton, who made the transition from rowing to para-canoe as recently as 2014, said:
"It is a real honour to be able to represent my country again. It has been a hard journey to this point and it wouldn't have been possible without the support of my partner and son. I can't wait to experience another Paralympic Games, and be involved in showcasing such a great sport for the first time at a Paralympics.
“The support from the British public at London 2012 was incredible. I hope that they will supercharge the team to success in Rio and that we can make people back at home proud.”
Penny Briscoe MBE, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, said:
“I’m so pleased to welcome these athletes to the team today. It’s exciting to see such strength and ambition from all six athletes as their sport prepares to make its debut in Rio, and I’m sure the athletes will mark it in style with some incredible performances in Lagoa.
“Huge credit must go to Steve Harris and the team at British Canoeing for the development of the para-canoe programme which was formally established in 2011 and has successfully identified and supported these talented athletes through an intense selection process. It’s a privilege to add their names to the team-sheet today.”
Steve Harris, Para-canoe Programme Manager, said:
“It has been a hugely exciting journey over the last five years to get to this point where we are announcing our team for the Paralympic Games in Rio, where para-canoe will make its debut. We have a hugely talented and committed group of athletes, backed 100% by our coaches and support staff as well as the National Lottery through UK Sport.
"I am confident we will go to Rio as one of the very best prepared teams in the world and we will do everything possible to deliver and contribute to the success of ParalympicsGB."
Great Britain is currently one of only two countries to have qualified quota places in all six Paralympic events, with Australia the only other nation to have completed a full house. As the strength and depth in competition has increased internationally in recent years, GB has succeeded in bringing the silverware home, once again topping the medal table at the recent 2016 ICF Para-Canoe World Championships in Duisburg, Germany, with a total of six medals across the classes (two gold, two silver and two bronze).
Today’s announcement brings the number of selected athletes to a total of 111, across a total of ten sports.
Selected athletes (para-canoe):
Nick Beighton (KL2)
Home town: Shrewsbury
Training base: National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham
Jeanette Chippington (KL1)
Home town: Maidenhead
Training base: Eton Dorney
Anne Dickens (KL3)
Home town: Oxted
Training base: Eton Dorney
Ian Marsden (KL1)
Home town: Stoke
Training base: National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham
Rob Oliver (KL3)
Home town: Birmingham
Training base: National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham
Emma Wiggs (KL2)
Home town: Diseworth, Leicestershire
Training base: National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham
