Becky Coleman Makes History at Fulham Reach Boat Club
Becomes first-ever adaptive athlete to complete Boat Race course
Becky Coleman out on the water. Picture: Fulham Reach Boat Club
April 6, 2026
A wheelchair rower from Fulham Reach Boat Club has made sporting history after becoming the first adaptive athlete to complete the full Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race course using only her arms.
Two days before the rare on Thursday 2 April, Becky Coleman joined four mixed crews of disabled rowers for the inaugural Adaptive Boat Race Challenge, taking on the famous four-mile championship stretch from Putney to Chiswick. Becky was the only disabled rower to complete the entire course under her own power, racing in a double scull with Accessibility Lead Coach Denise Martin Van Meurs, and cox Tracy Corbett. She used the event to raise money for The UK Sepsis Trust and Fulham Reach Boat Club, collecting more than £2,600.
The adaptive crews set off as Oxford and Cambridge teams were warming up for their own Boat Race later in the week. Becky’s boat led the field, making swift progress in favourable wind and tide conditions. Supporters lined the route, with a large crowd gathered at Hammersmith Bridge—including colleagues who had been given the afternoon off to cheer her on.
“The start was choppy and challenging, but it eased as we approached Hammersmith Bridge,” Becky said afterwards. “The crowds and support really lifted our spirits.”
From there, cox Tracy Corbett steered a clean line around the Chiswick bend as Becky settled into her rhythm and found an extra burst of energy. The crew powered past Barnes and pushed on to Chiswick Bridge, crossing the finish in just 33 minutes—far faster than their target of under an hour.
“It was amazing to complete the iconic Boat Race course and to row with the coach who introduced me to the sport,” Becky said. “I’m incredibly proud of the time we set.”
Fulham Reach Boat Club CEO Adam praised her achievement, “Becky is an inspiration to us all. She has shown that this sport is for everyone, and with the right support from our charity, we hope her achievement will inspire more people with disabilities to give rowing a go.”
Becky’s achievement is all the more extraordinary given her recent medical history. Two years ago she developed life-threatening sepsis, leaving her relearning how to speak, read and carry out everyday tasks. She first tried rowing only days before last year’s Boat Race, having lived at both ends of the course but never imagining the sport would be accessible to her.
Rowing has since become central to her recovery. “Fulham Reach Boat Club have supported my ongoing recovery by helping my brain to re-coordinate post-sepsis whilst also giving me a sport for life,” she said. “Rowing has enabled me to get outside, enjoy nature and reap all the benefits of physical activity.”
Before rowing, Becky was already an accomplished athlete. She became a wheelchair user in her early teens after an accident and went on to rank among the world’s top wheelchair tennis players. A later spinal injury made rotation difficult, prompting her to switch sports.
Now she hopes the Adaptive Boat Race Challenge will become a permanent fixture—and that one day an adaptive race will sit alongside the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race, just as the Paralympics run alongside the Olympics.
Fulham Reach Boat Club, based at Distillery Wharf, is expanding its accessible rowing programme this year thanks to support from The National Lottery Community Fund. The club is inviting more disabled participants to join its Accessible Rowing and Environmental Activities sessions, led by coach Denise Martin Van Meurs.
Supporters can still contribute to Becky’s fundraising for The UK Sepsis Trust and Fulham Reach Boat Club.
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