The gold rush began when Rachel Morris won the ASW1x women's single sculls following an incredible surge on the last section of the 1000m course at Lagoa.

Morris' victory means that she has enjoyed an elite club of athletes who have won gold medals at the Paralympics in two different sports.

The 37-year-old won hand-cycle time trial gold at Beijing 2008 and has now tasted success in rowing with a winning time of 5min 13.19sec.

"That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do considering my appalling start," said Morris.

Silver went to China's Lili Wang, who initially had the lead before Morris overhauled her, in 5:16.65 as Moran Samuel of Israel grabbed bronze in 5:17.46.

A second British gold arrived as Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley triumphed in the TA mixed double sculls.

They finished in 3:55.28 to win ahead of China's Liu Shang and Fei Tainming who managed 3:58.45 and French duo Perle Bouge and Stephanie Tardieu who clocked 4:01.48.

Whiteley, who waited two-and-a-half years for GB Rowing to find a suitably-classified athlete to race with him, said: "I don’t think I can sum up the emotions. 

"It was two-and-a-half years of thinking every day that it would be alright in the end. 

"There were days when I could have walked away some days but for the end prize to be Paralympic gold, I would have done it again in a heartbeat."

Britain added a third gold as the country defended their LTA mixed coxed four title from London 2012.

Grace Clough, Daniel Brown, Pamela Relph, James Fox and cox Oliver James romped home in 3:17.17.

The United States paddled to silver in 3:19.61 as Canada took bronze in 3:19.90.

Ukraine's Roman Polianskyi won the other gold available in the ASM1x men's single sculls.

He clocked 4:38.56 to win as Erik Horrie of Australia earned silver in 4:42.94.

You couldn't keep Britain off the podium, though, as Beijing 2008 champion Tom Aggar rowed to bronze in 4:50.90.

The four medals the country won means it is their most successful Paralympic haul of all time.