ROCK & ROWLES STARS

Perfect pair claim 'cool' gold on great day for GB's rowers

- TOM HARLE

TRAILBLAZER Lauren Rowles and former Commando Gregg Stevenson secured rowing gold in a classic Paralympic finish.

The pair came into the mixed double sculls as favourites having won all 11 of their races together and set four world records.

But they were put under the pump by China in the final and had to summon a mighty sprint finish with 10 strokes to go, claiming victory by just two seconds.

"That's not usually the way we do it," said debutant Stevenson, who lost both legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2009.

"We try to take care of it earlier and that's our strength, but we have to race until the last stroke because people will bring something you don't expect. When we knew we had the momentum,there was a little grimace and a little smile, feeling 'we're going, we're going', it was so cool."