Gregg Stevenson almost gave up on his Paralympic dream, but a phone call from rowing partner changed fate

By Lucy Wilde

Three years ago, Gregg Stevenson watched Great Britan’s rowers compete in Tokyo on the television in his sitting room.

He had buried thoughts of a Paralympic campaign after injury struggles forced him to step back from training, but that all changed when he received a phone call from doubles partner Lauren Rowles last year.

The 39-year-old father of two previously missed out on qualifying for the Rio Games in 2016, but having finally received the call up he wants to show his young daughters just what he’s capable of in Paris.

“I thought my rowing career was over,” said Stevenson, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with Team GB, helping to maximise support and minimise potential distractions for athletes so that they can focus on their performance.

“I watched Tokyo, and I just didn’t think I had a chance of going to Paris. It really wasn’t even a thought in my mind.

“But when Lauren called to ask if I fancied getting back in the boat, she reignited a spark inside of me. I knew deep down it was something I couldn’t let go of. I had to do it.”

While this turn of events was not one Stevenson had predicted, stepping away from rowing had prompted him to reflect on other aspects of his life that came to serve him well when he did return to the water.

“The first time I stepped back from rowing I experienced a bit of an identity crisis. I had to try to reinvent myself, reconnect with my community. I had to do a lot of things I hadn’t done very well before.

“It was a challenge, but I learnt the hard way that I had to keep connected with the most important things - all the other parts of myself, of Gregg, that weren’t just about rowing.”

Stevenson spent time with his wife and two daughters and used his experiences in the military to train as an NHS mental health practitioner, but the Lancashire man never strayed too far from a rowing machine.

“When I had to step away after injury, I made sure I kept up my training,” he said. “I knew it was good for me, both from a physical and mental perspective, but when I was offered the chance to compete again, it felt like a good reward.

“It felt like there was a reason everything had happened the way it did. I had kept up my training for a purpose, even if I didn't know what that was at the time. I had learned to show up for myself and the people around me.”

Stevenson does not have a history of shying away from hard tasks, after losing both his legs in Afghanistan while serving as a Royal Engineer Commando in 2009 required him to learn to walk again.

Yet this life-altering experience is one that the oarsman believes knocked him onto a better path, despite the fact it also prompted him to confront some uncomfortable truths about his former life.

“My experience in the military played a massive part in shaping the person I am today, but Gregg before the military was a very different person to the man I am today.

“One of my biggest motivators for joining was to get some discipline in my life, which I was fortunate to find. The biggest thing I learnt was that it’s all about keeping things simple. You must turn up every day, work hard, not get too far ahead of yourself, and put the graft in. There’s no way to cheat that.

“The military taught me I could achieve things, but only if I worked hard for them.”

Should Stevenson ever forget his own motto it is his family who are the first to remind him, and it will be their encouragement that he carries in his mind as he hunts down a medal in Paris.

“My wife and kids have the biggest expectations of me. That’s what keeps me grounded because I think if I can match their expectations even just the slightest, then I’m doing something right.

“It’s beautiful because they’re my biggest fans as well as my biggest critics - they make me feel young because they believe in me. Even if it’s naivety, it makes me feel alive.

“The trust and the belief that I can do it is so empowering. I want to show them what they’re capable of, just like they show me what I can do.”

Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024.