Paralympian Erik Horrie wins big at championships

Erik Horrie’s incredible winning streak has come to an end but the Penrith rower has still made the podium in his biggest race of the year.

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Rower Erik Horrie has had his incredible winning run at world rowing championships snapped with the sculler winning a bronze in his pet event.

Horrie, of Penrith, was aiming for his sixth straight World Rowing Championships title in the PR1s Single Scull in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria.

But Horrie, plagued by injury this season, watched the Ukraine and Russia fight for gold while he secured a bronze.

Silver medallist Alexey Chuvashev of Russia, gold medallist Roman Polianskyi of Ukraine and bronze medallist Erik Horrie of Australia on the podium after their race.

Horrie had been placed second for most of the race before slipping into the bronze position by holding off a fast-finishing Great Britain for the final medal.

“It just wasn’t my race today but I’m happy to come away with the medal considering the season I’ve had coming back from injury,” Horrie, who became a paraplegic at age 21 after a car accident, said.

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However, just by making the final, Horrie ensured the Australian Paralympic Team will have a PR1 Single Scull spot in Tokyo at next year’s Paralympics.

Erik Horrie has won a bronze medal at the world rowing championships in Linz-Ottensheim.

Earlier at the meet fellow Paralympian Kathryn Ross made a triumphant return to international competition, winning gold in the PR2 Single Scull.

Prior to the start of a regatta a para rower died after capsizing during a training session at the world rowing championships.

The Belarusian athlete was apparently trapped under the capsized boat.