Jake Howe

Jake Howe
Personal information
Born (1991-06-04) 4 June 1991 (age 33)
Sport
SportWheelchair rugby
Disability class1.0
ClubMelbourne Rugby Club
TeamAustralian Steelers (2017–current)
Medal record
Wheelchair rugby
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Mixed
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2018 Sydney Mixed
Gold medal – first place 2022 Vejle Mixed

Jake Howe (born 4 June 1991) is an Australian wheelchair rugby player. He has represented the Steelers at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where they won the bronze medal.[1][2]

Personal

Howe was born on 4 June 1991.[3] On 10 March 2012, Howe was wrestling with his best friend on the Barrack Street Jetty during a 21st birthday party river cruise. He landed on his head and this broke a bone in neck and crushed his spinal cord, paralysing him from the armpits down.[4] At the time his girlfriend was pregnant and he now has a son Lucas.[4][5] He lives in Perth, Western Australia.[3]

Wheelchair rigby

Howe is classified 1.0 player. Howe made his international debut for Australian wheelchair rugby team at the 2017 Ken Sowden Cup in Christchurch, New Zealand.[3] At the 2018 IWRF World Championship in Sydney, Australia, he was a member of the Australian team that won the silver medal after being defeated by Japan 61–62 in the gold medal game.[6]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, the Steelers finished fourth after being defeated by Japan 52–60 in the bronze medal game.COVID travel restrictions led to Steelers not having a team training since March 2020 prior to Tokyo.[7]

Howe won his first world championship gold medal at the 2022 IWRF World Championship in Vejle, Denmark, when Australia defeated the United States . [8]

At the 2024 Summer Paralympics, he was a member of the Steelers that won the bronze medal defeating Great Britain 50–48.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Steelers Eyeing Paralympic History… Again". Paralympics Australia. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Steelers chasing redemption at Paris Games". Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Jake Howe". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b Farcic, Elle (7 April 2012). "Harmless fun that changed a young life for ever". The West Australian. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  5. ^ Giles, Shaun (28 July 2018). "Jake Howe once feared he would never lift his newborn child, now he's a wheelchair rugby international". ABC News. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Results". IWRF Wheelchaair Rugby World Championships website. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Australia names wheelchair rugby team of 12 for Tokyo 2020". Inside The Games. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Australian Steelers Are World Wheelchair Rugby Champions". Paralympics Australia. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Forged In Bronze: Steelers Reach Paralympic Podium After Eight-Year Wait | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.