FARNHAM Paralympian Rachel Morris looks set to represent Great Britain at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games after winning a silver medal at the Rowing World Championships.

Rachel, 36, qualified for a place in a GB boat for Rio last Wednesday last week after winning her semi-final in the Para Women’s Single Sculls (ASW1x) single skull event on Lake Aiguebelette in France.

Her time of five minutes 25 seconds time was a season’s best over 1,000m and four seconds ahead of her closest challenger, reigning world champion Norwegian Birgit Skaters.

Returning to the water for the final the next day, Rachel came back from third place at the midway point to finish just one second behind Israel’s Moran Samuel in five minutes 27 seconds and win the silver medal.

Before the final, Rachel said: “My aim here is to qualify the boat for Rio – to finish in the top eight”. And afterwards she was elated, especially as she had achieved silver just 18 weeks after surgery to both shoulders and having transferred from a successful career in Paralympic hand cycling just over two years ago.

“To be able to come from another sport and be able to win a medal a year out from Rio is huge,” she said.

Boats, not individuals, qualify for the Paralympics but Rachel added she hopes very much to be rowing the GB boat that goes to Rio next year.

Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, has long supported Rachel dating back to his time as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Sport and Olympics in the build-up to the 2012 London Games.

He said: “Rachel is Farnham’s true local hero and everyone will be absolutely thrilled at this news. No one has done more to inspire young people with her remarkable courage in the face of adversity - and we will all be rooting for her like crazy for the Rio Paralympics.”