TWO of Marlow’s most successful athletes helped celebrate the beginning of the Paralympic Games after the town was chosen as one of the locations for to parade the iconic torch.

Gold medallist rowers Katherine Grainger and Naomi Riches performed a ‘torch kiss’ at the riverside on Sunday as part of the Paralympic Heritage Flame celebrations centred around Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the games.

Marlow was chosen because of its sporting status, having produced gold medallists at both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Organiser Ian Barham of Bucks Legacy said: “Marlow is one of the most iconic locations in Bucks and is home to the rowing club which has such a wonderful reputation.

“The new rowing centre is going to be superb and will play an important role in the para-rowing programme.”

Marlow Rowing Club’s £2.5million Watersports Hub is currently under construction, and is due to be completed in September.

It will act as a national centre for para-rowing after recently being recognised by British Rowing.

The visit was part of a series of public visits for the torch in Bucks and in London after a spectacular ceremony at Stoke Mandeville Stadium on Saturday night.

The flame joined others from around Russia for a unification ceremony today to mark the beginning of the Sochi Paralympic Winter Games this week.