FARNHAM’S Rachel Morris has qualified for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games with victory in the single skull semi-finals at the Rowing World Championships.

Rachel, 36, who won medals at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics as a hand-cyclist, will trade the road for water in her third Games after taking up rowing last year.

She qualified for Rio after winning the ASW1x semi-final at the World Championships in Aiguebelette, France, with a time of five minutes 25 seconds - four seconds ahead of last year’s gold medal-winner Birgit Skarstein.

The win comes just months after Rachel underwent shoulder surgery, and she hopes to cap her successful return with victory in the ASW1x final on Thursday afternoon.

Rachel said after her win: "I am really pleased with that. Eighteen weeks ago I had shoulder surgery so the aim here has always been to qualify the boat for the Games.”