Ross rower Rhiannon Jones down to last two in London Paralympics bid (From Hereford Times)

Ross rower Rhiannon Jones down to last two in London Paralympics bid

12:30pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Sport By Ian Morgan

COX Rhiannon Jones is down to the final two for a place in the Great Britain Adaptive Rowing Team for this year’s Paralymics.

The 24-year-old from Herefordshire lost her place in the main crew last year but shone at the trials earlier this month.

She’s flying out to Spain today (Thursday) for a two-week training camp with the Great Britain squad.

“I was not selected for the main squad last year but a long journey back from the USA made me realise that I still wanted to trial,” she said.

“This is the first time they have taken two coxes on a training camp but there will only be one cox for London.”

Able-bodied cox Rhiannon won gold with GB at the 2009 World Championship. In 2010, she clinched two gold medals at the Varese International Regatta and gold at the Bled World Cup.

But Rhiannon was in the GB adaptive crew’s ‘B’ team last year as they finished third — behind in the ‘A’ team — at the World Cup in Munich.

“It’s important to realise that there is competition and that the competition is tough,” she said.

“It’s now down to the other girl and me and we’re competing for one place in London.”

Rhiannon was back with her family in Herefordshire last weekend. She now lives in Reading and spends six days a week at Leander Rowing Club.

“A typical day involves getting to the club and taking two sessions in the morning. I get down the club at 7.30am and then go to the gym later on.

“Because I am a trialist again, I don’t receive any funding, so it’s hard financially and I am currently working as a nanny,” she said.

“I have a weight programme to follow and, because a cox must be light, I have to get down to about 50 kilos.”

The Spanish camp will include two water-based sessions a day, cross-training, swimming and pilates.

Rhiannon added: “The final trials are on March 10 which is just five weeks away, so it’s a very nervous and exciting time.”