FARNHAM’S double-Paralympic champion Rachel Morris has capped off an incredible 2016 after she was named Para-Rower of the Year by rowing’s international federation World Rowing (FISA).

The latest accolade comes after a phenomenal performance by Rachel on the Lagoa in Rio, which saw her win Paralympic gold in dramatic fashion in the arms-shoulders single scull - just three years after taking up the sport.

This was Rachel’s second Paralympic gold, adding to the gold medal she won in hand-cycling at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and the bronze she won in the same event at London 2012.

Commenting on her latest win, Rachel told The Herald: “What means so much about this award is that it is voted on by fellow athletes; the people who know the sport and follow the sport, so it’s pretty amazing.

“One of my role models in the GB rowing squad, Tom Aggar, has won the FISA award a couple of times and it meant a huge amount to him, but I never thought I had reached that level among my peers.

“It was a massive surprise because in six categories we had six GB athletes nominated, including Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, and I’m the only GB athlete to have won anything.

“There are bigger names out there in sport at the moment than me, and so I was very surprised. It’s fantastic as a para-rower to have won it for GB and I’ll take that as a pretty good way of finishing off 2016!”

Commenting on Rachel’s award, Annamarie Phelps, chairman of British Rowing and vice-chairman of the British Paralympic Association said: “I am so proud of Rachel and all that she has achieved. She is a great ambassador for our sport and Paralympics GB. She is a truly worthy winner of this award.”

Rachel believes her biggest challenge is yet to come, however, with the newly-crowned Para-Rower of the Year set to undergo reconstructive surgery on both shoulders - beginning with the first of two operations last Thursday.

“My life is about to fall apart, literally,” she continued.

“But hopefully it means I’ll be a lot stronger in the future going forward, and my goal is to get back training for Tokyo 2020 as soon as possible.”