![Australian Paralympians Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross in the lead-up to the Rio Games on the water in Canberra. Picture: Rohan Thomson Australian Paralympians Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross in the lead-up to the Rio Games on the water in Canberra. Picture: Rohan Thomson](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5E9aiwEpmxaHU7wKAB7bK/00c00927-8538-42bd-a742-e1edaea34039.jpg/r0_218_4256_2611_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Not many athletes attending Tokyo can lay claim to participating in their event at every Paralympic Games, but Canberra's Kathryn Ross can.
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The four-time world champion has competed at every Para-rowing event since its addition to the Paralympics in 2008.
"I'm one of only four or five rowers in the world who's been to every Games since rowing was introduced in 2008," she said.
"It's very, very exciting. Reaching that personal goal and having that achievement is really nice."
The four-time Paralympian was one of eight rowers selected in the Australian team on Monday, alongside her mixed double sculls partner Simon Albury after the pair qualified their boat at the final Paralympic qualification regatta in Italy last month.
Ross and Albury are joined by the country's most successful Para-rower to date, single sculler Erik Horrie, alongside Nikki Ayers, Tom Birtwhistle, Alexandra Viney, James Talbot and coxswain Renae Domaschenz, who will race in the mixed four.
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After breaking the world record in the PR2 1X event in 2019, the Paralympic silver medallist will be looking for a podium finish again in Tokyo.
"It's definitely nice to be able to say that we're in the team now, to be able to celebrate a bit before we actually head off," Ross said.
"You're in the team, you know who your teammates are, and that's the exciting part - working together towards the Games.
"We have some great athletes among us who have plenty of experience. We're lucky to have that depth, along with some debutants as well, so it's a real mix that we're very fortunate to have."
However, the 40-year-old said the journey to Japan had been amplified by the challenges the squad faced, with border closures and lockdowns heavily impacting the group.
"The achievement is amplified by the challenges the squad faced, with border closures and lockdowns heavily impacting the group," she said.
"It's been extremely hard for us. We're a camps-based team, but we have people all across the country. For example, I'm in Canberra but my rowing partner's in South Australia. Some are in Victoria, some in NSW, our doubles coach is in Queensland ... we've really struggled to come together as a team and train for Tokyo, but we've done our best."
Despite the difficult path to Tokyo, Paralympics Australia chief executive officer Lynne Anderson said the team were capable of securing gold.
"A Paralympic gold medal has proved elusive so far for Australia in Para-rowing, but I'm confident this group has the talent and the strength of character required to achieve great things when they race at Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo in about six weeks' time," she said.