By Gary Anderson

November 14 - London 2012 champion Naomi Riches has called time on her career © Getty Images British Paralympic rowing champion Naomi Riches has announced her retirement from the sport, bringing an end to a career in which she says she has "won everything" and is looking forward to "giving something back".


The 30-year-old said she wanted to go out on a high after claiming a sixth world title at the World Championships in Chungju in August.

That followed on from her performance at London 2012 where she claimed gold in the mixed coxed four LTA competition along with Lily van den Broecke, James Roe, David Smith and Pamela Relph.

Relph was also part of the crew that took the world title in South Korea.

"I feel that I have achieved everything that I wanted to achieve in the sport and what better way to finish than on the high of a home Paralympic Games gold medal in London, followed by the World title", said Riches, who also won bronze at Beijing 2008.

"I want to give something back now and I am looking forward to my next career."

The Marlow Rowing Club member plans to work as an athlete mentor with school sport charity Youth Sport Trust (YTS) in the coming months whilst continuing her work as an ambassador for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity and for online fund-raising website Make-a-Donation.

"Naomi has been at the heartbeat of our mixed coxed four in recent years," said Tom Dyson, GB Rowing team Para-rowing lead coach.

"She is one of the only rowers to have kept up with the progression in standards in our sport since 2004, in particular since missing out on the World Championships in 2010 she has come back to dominate and benefitted hugely from the support of our partnership with Guide Dogs".

Naomi Riches (second from left) celebrates Paralympic gold at London 2012 with her teammatesNaomi Riches (second from left) celebrates Paralympic gold at London 2012 with her teammates ©Getty Images

























GB Rowing teamed up charity Guide Dogs in the lead-up to London 2012 to help support visually impaired athletes, such as Riches, through the classification process.

Riches first took up rowing in 2004 and served notice of her talent straight away by claiming a world title that year and along with her win Chungju this year, she also took World Championship gold in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011, while winning silver in 2007.

"Naomi is an outstanding athlete who has achieved at the highest level against, at times, some fierce competition for seats in her boat class," said Sir David Tanner, GB Rowing team performance director.

"She has been a driver to bring British Para Rowing into the top level with rowing's entry into the Paralympics for the first time in Beijing.

"We wish her every success in her future career."

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