Paralympic champion Lauren Rowles receives honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University
Three-time Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Rowles OBE has received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University, recognising her outstanding contribution to sport and disability inclusion.
The 28-year-old received the honour during a graduation ceremony at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 30 August. British Rowing described Rowles as the “greatest Paralympic rower of all time” when she announced her retirement from rowing last year.
Speaking about the award, she said: “To be recognised by a university in the city where I grew up makes it even more special. Birmingham has shaped so much of who I am, both as a person and as an athlete, so this feels like a real full-circle moment.”
Alongside her three Paralympic gold medals, Rowles is a two-time world champion and three-time European champion. However, her sporting career is not over, with the athlete confirming that she plans to return to wheelchair track racing.
Rowles was diagnosed with transverse myelitis at the age of 13 and developed an interest in wheelchair racing after watching the London 2012 Paralympic Games. She was scouted by British Rowing in 2015 and claimed her first Paralympic gold medal the following year at the Rio 2016 Games, aged 18.
Reflecting on the role sport played in her life, Rowles said: “Through sport, I didn’t just rebuild my physical strength; I rebuilt my confidence, my identity and my belief in what I was capable of.
“It gave me a community of people who didn’t see disability as a limitation, but simply as part of who I was. That shift in mindset was transformational and ultimately led me to represent Great Britain and achieve things I never thought possible.
“Now I see disability as something to be proud of. It’s part of my story, it’s shaped who I am, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without those experiences.”
Rowles also called for accessibility to be embedded into the design of sporting facilities and services from the outset. “Access has to be considered from the very beginning, not added as an afterthought,” she said.
“Most importantly, we need to stop focusing on what disabled people can’t do and start creating environments that unlock what they can. When barriers are removed and opportunities are there, the impact that sport can have on someone’s confidence, health and future is extraordinary.”
Rowles was appointed an MBE in 2017 and an OBE in 2025 for her services to sport.
Mobility retailer CareCo was visited by Paralympian athlete Charlotte Henshaw. At the start of 2026, CareCo and Charlotte announced her official partnership as a CareCo ambassador.
