Tom Aggar
Encyclopedia
Tom Aggar is a British rower who competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
.
Aggar went to the University of Warwick
where he was a member of the rugby union 1st XV as well as the Saracens F.C.
development squad. In 2005, whilst out with a group of friends, he slipped and fell eight feet on to a concrete path. Thinking that he had headed home alone his friends left, when he regained consciousness two hours later Aggar phoned for an ambulance. In his fall he had broken his back and suffered a spinal injury, resulting in paralysis of his legs.
(FES) rowing machine, where electrical currents are used to activate nerves in parts of the body affected by paralysis. In 2007, at the World Rowing Championships in Munich, Aggar won the gold medal in the 1000 m men's single scull in 5 minutes 13.13 seconds. He beat two-time world champion Dominic Monypenny, of Australia by two seconds and set a new world record in the process.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, rowing made its debut appearance at the Games. Aggar won the men's single sculls gold medal in a time of 5 minutes 22.09 seconds. After the Games Aggar was one of the British Paralympic gold medal winning athletes who were overlooked in the New Year's honours. All of Britain's gold medal winners at the 2008 Summer Olympics
were honoured in some way.
In 2009 he defended his World Championship title
, winning by 16 seconds ahead of Ukraine's Andrii Kryvchun, in a new world record time of 4 minutes 51.48 seconds. He extenteded his unbeaten run, winning his fourth successive title in international events, at the 2010 World Championships
held at Lake Karapiro
, near Cambridge
, New Zealand.
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
.
Aggar went to the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
where he was a member of the rugby union 1st XV as well as the Saracens F.C.
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
development squad. In 2005, whilst out with a group of friends, he slipped and fell eight feet on to a concrete path. Thinking that he had headed home alone his friends left, when he regained consciousness two hours later Aggar phoned for an ambulance. In his fall he had broken his back and suffered a spinal injury, resulting in paralysis of his legs.
Rowing
Aggar took up rowing as part of the rehabilitation from his injury. He competed at the 2006 National Indoor Championships using a Functional electrical stimulationFunctional electrical stimulation
Functional electrical stimulation is a technique that uses electrical currents to activate nerves innervating extremities affected by paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury , head injury, stroke and other neurological disorders. FES is primarily used to restore function in people with...
(FES) rowing machine, where electrical currents are used to activate nerves in parts of the body affected by paralysis. In 2007, at the World Rowing Championships in Munich, Aggar won the gold medal in the 1000 m men's single scull in 5 minutes 13.13 seconds. He beat two-time world champion Dominic Monypenny, of Australia by two seconds and set a new world record in the process.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, rowing made its debut appearance at the Games. Aggar won the men's single sculls gold medal in a time of 5 minutes 22.09 seconds. After the Games Aggar was one of the British Paralympic gold medal winning athletes who were overlooked in the New Year's honours. All of Britain's gold medal winners at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
were honoured in some way.
In 2009 he defended his World Championship title
2009 World Rowing Championships
The 38th 2009 World Rowing Championships regatta was held at Lake Malta, Poznań, Poland between August 23 – August 30.The annual week long rowing regatta was organized by FISA , and held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer...
, winning by 16 seconds ahead of Ukraine's Andrii Kryvchun, in a new world record time of 4 minutes 51.48 seconds. He extenteded his unbeaten run, winning his fourth successive title in international events, at the 2010 World Championships
2010 World Rowing Championships
The 39th 2010 World Rowing Championships were held at Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge, New Zealand between October 29 – November 7. The annual week-long rowing regatta was organised by FISA . Usually held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer, they were held later in the year in the southern...
held at Lake Karapiro
Lake Karapiro
Lake Karapiro is an artificial reservoir lake on the Waikato River in the North Island of New Zealand. The lake, near Cambridge and some south-east of the city of Hamilton, was created in 1947 to store water for the Karapiro Power Station, the last of the eight hydroelectric power stations on the...
, near Cambridge
Cambridge, New Zealand
Cambridge is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions".In the 1840s Cambridge had a Maori population but in the 1850's missionaries and...
, New Zealand.