Bro. Ben Pritchard, of Corinthian Lodge No. 4917 secured a stunning gold medal for ParalympicsGB in the PR1 men’s single sculls on Sunday 1st September 2024, day four of the Paris Paralympic Games. This victory marked the first gold medal of the day for the British team and was a huge milestone for Ben competing in his second Paralympic Games.
Ben, who started rowing in 2017 following a cycling accident during a race, where he was left paralysed from the rib cage down the previous year, delivered an outstanding performance in the 2,000m race. Although he started behind Italy’s Giacomo Perini for much of the first 1,500 meters, Ben unleashed a powerful surge in the final 500 meters to secure the gold. He crossed the finish line with a time of 9 minutes 3.84 seconds, a time slower than the Paralympic record of 8 minutes 51 seconds he set in the qualifying rounds, likely due to challenging weather conditions.
The race was a thrilling contest, especially during the third quarter, where Ben and Perini traded the lead back and forth. However, Ben’s powerful acceleration in the latter stages of the race left no doubt about the outcome, as he crossed the line more than 10 seconds ahead of Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi, the world record holder and double reigning champion, who claimed silver. Perini, unable to keep pace with Pritchard’s late charge, finished with the bronze.
Ben’s victory was especially notable as it marked Great Britain’s first gold in the PR1 men’s single sculls since Tom Aggar’s triumph at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Later in the day, Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson added to Great Britain’s medal haul with a dramatic late victory in the mixed double sculls, bringing the total to four rowing medals for the British team. Their success capped off an impressive day for ParalympicsGB, further solidifying their prowess in rowing on the international stage.
Read more about Ben’s story, on his website www.iambenpritchard.com