Worcester rower Giedre Rakauskaite has never lost an international race but was still beating herself up over errors in the first round of the Paralympics.

Rakauskaite is the rock in the British PR3 miroxed coxed four that are protecting an incredible 13-year unbeaten streak at Paris 2024.

The 33-year-old combined with Ed Fuller, Frankie Allen, Josh O’Brien, and cox Erin Kennedy to break their own world record by nearly four seconds in the heats at the Games.

Closest rivals USA and France did battle in the second heat but GB's commanding victory in the first race in a time of 6:43.68 represented a mighty statement ahead of Sunday’s final.

“We can’t ask for much more than that,” said Fuller, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with Team GB, helping to maximise support and minimise potential distractions for athletes so that they can focus on their performance. “We knew the training leading into it, it was quite quick conditions, albeit not as quick as it had been earlier in the week.

“Everything came together, and I’m really pleased with how we performed in that race.

“It’s difficult knowing all of the top seeds are in the other heat. We didn’t know quite how we’d done because we were the first, but it was really solid.

Rakauskaite and Kennedy are the surviving members of the crew that made it three Paralympic titles on the trot in Tokyo.

“We now have three new Paralympians in the crew, and it’s really cool to be able to call yourself a Paralympian,” said Fuller.

Despite the emphatic nature of the performance in front of a packed crowd at Vaires-sur-Marne, Rakauskaite still rued a couple of slips.

“I enjoyed having the crowd - not that I noticed it, I’ve noticed my own mistakes,” she said.

“In my head, I’m my own worst critic. I remember the four or five strokes I took incorrectly. I’m going to have to go again to make it better and I’m a perfectionist.”

That being said, Rakauskaite has been able to revel in the atmosphere of the first Paralympics staged in France and particularly the GB team environment.

“It’s nice to be surrounded by all of the athletes at ParalympicsGB House, there are nearly 250 of us, and it’s a really good nation to be part of in the Paralympics,” she said.

“Everyone is so supportive, and we just want to add to that greatness. The bar is high. “

The rowing squad made a commanding start with PR2 double scullers Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson joining the four in setting a new world best time, with GB harbouring medal hopes in all four events.

“It’s a credit to the hard work that everyone in this team has put in over the last 10 months,” said Fuller.

“There’s so much energy and momentum in the squad. We have the capability to go out and get four medals, as shown by the heats. We get our heads down now and focus on the job that we’re here to do, after that we can enjoy the full Paralympic experience.”

Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024.