NORTHALLERTON rower Laurence Whiteley celebrated his 30th birthday in style as he became a double Paralympic champion by successfully defending his PR2 mixed double sculls title in Tokyo.

Whiteley, who took up rowing after contracting osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, teamed up with Lauren Rowles to retain the Paralympic title the pair first claimed in Rio five years ago.

The success came on Whiteley’s 30th birthday, although the North Yorkshireman had relatively low-key ambitions when it came to his plans for a double celebration.

“I might have a birthday muffin,” joked Whiteley, who had his knee joint and part of his fibula removed during surgery at the age of 15, before titanium rods were inserted into his leg. “We did what we set out to do.

“We have a lot of trust in each other, and we have a lot of confidence in our own abilities. There’s a lot that goes on to put us on the start line, then it’s down to me and Lauren to deliver on that.”

Having cruised into the final by winning their qualifying heat, Whiteley and Rowles’ success was never really in doubt as they dominated from start to finish.

They established a healthy lead in the first half of the race at Tokyo’s Sea Forest Waterway, and eventually finished more than five seconds clear of their nearest rivals, Dutch duo Annika van der Meer and Corne de Koning.

The Chinese pairing of Liu Shuang and Jiang jijian were almost ten seconds off the pace as they won bronze, with Whiteley and Rowles triumphing in a time of 8:38.99.

Rowles, who became paralysed from the waist down in 2012 due to transverse myelitis, was delighted to have helped Whiteley celebrate his birthday in style, and revealed there were a few surprises before the start of the final.

“It’s a big one today for this birthday geezer,” she said. “We came in this morning and embarrassed him – all the volunteers put little signs out, they made little cranes for him. They just love us being here.

“We love them – it’s the environment, the atmosphere, it’s been so nice to feel, in a way, at home here, having no spectators, having no family here.

“You feel like every Japanese person that lives out here is supporting you. Every single one of the volunteers has said happy birthday to him today. They’re such a welcoming bunch of people.”