Paris 2024: Altschwager and Ayers take gold in new Para rowing class

The final day of Para rowing saw five gold medals up for grabs with favourites Jed Altschwager and Nikki Ayers of Australia clinching one in the new mixed double sculls PR3 class, becoming the first Paralympians to hold this Paralympic title.

Great Britain had a tremendous showing with three gold medal wins across men's single sculls PR1, mixed double sculls PR2 and mixed cox four PR3.

Another favourite Birgit Lovise Roekkum Skarstein, Norway, had a second podium place in the women's singles PR1, behind Moran Samuel of Israel, in a reverse 1-2 of their Tokyo 2020 finish. France's Nathalie Benoit came in third.

The finals event culminated the Para rowing at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium; a green site surrounded by 450 trees and positioned near the Disneyland Paris theme park, with Para canoe still to come on September 6.

A golden debut on the Paralympic stage

For Altschwager his Paralympic debut saw him shoot straight to the top with partner Nikki Ayers. His whole family were watching back home in South Australia, and the IPC were able to show him a video of congratulations from his wife Jessica, son Wolfgang and daughter Aspen.

"That's amazing, they're tired, they stayed up to watch," he said in response to the video.

"It's incredible, mate. It's for them. You know, we do it for ourselves, but it's also for them, it's for the family. And, you know, to be able to show them something and come home with something is so bloody special," he said.

Ayers competed at Tokyo 2020 but said it was a different experience in Paris.

"My parents and my siblings are here. And then the in-laws are back home, looking after all the kids. They've been watching on, and know that aunty Nikki made them proud," Ayers said.

Ayers was emotional from the win, and tried to explain what it meant to her.

"Just having my family there, they mean the absolute world to me, like I've had a really tough two years on this journey. And love them so much. And thank you to them, and thank you Jed, we did it," she said.

Undeniable and unbeatable

A multi medallist at the world championships, Altschwager transitioned from men's to PR3 mixed double sculls to win his first world title in 2023, together with Ayers. The friends, who had met at an Australian rowing camp in 2017, have since unprecedented success since.

"When Jed and I first got into this, we sat down with our coaches and said what our goals were over 2024, and the two things we wanted was to be undeniable and unbeatable, and we showed that today."

 

"Being world champions, Para world Rowing crew of the year. Now, Paralympic champions just showed that all that hard work's paid off. We set that goal, and we achieved it together today," said Ayers

Tokyo 2020 positions reversed for Skarstein and Moran 

Reigning women’s single sculls PR1 Paralympic champion Skarstein, a fan favorite, has faced Moran repeatedly, but today came in second.

“Me and Moran we’ve been competing together for 13 years and we’ve been going back-forth, back-forth, back-forth. She’s been teaching me to be a better version of myself and I try to push her as much as I can, said Skarstein.

Their medals were awarded by Andrew Parsons, International Paralympic Committee President, at the water's edge.

 Skarstein rose to fame in Norway's version of celebrity dance TV show "Dancing with the stars", explained the race was a difficult one.

“It was a really rough race, it was quite tough wind out there," she explained. 

"My plan was just to touch and hang, touch and hang, touch and hang, don’t lose my temper, don’t lose the control… and then believe in myself enough that I could let the field go and believe that I can get them," Skarstein said.

Moran Samuel who had a clear lead throughout the race, now has one of each colour medal.

"I had the bronze in Rio, silver in Tokyo. I had these two (Skarstein and Benoit) to race over and over again, and lose over and over again, to win this one race, which was the most important one," Samuel said.

“I’m also really happy about Nathalie Benoit doing the bronze medal at home court in Paris, which is amazing being a French athlete and she’s such a great human being," said Skarstein, who was initially unsure of her position.

“I didn’t see Nathalie there… so I didn’t know if I got silver or bronze, so I’m really happy with silver,” she explained.

Benoit was just as in the dark in this tightly contested finals race.

"When I crossed the line and realised I was third, it was an explosion of happiness," said Benoit.