Jake Howe Interview

World Wheelchair Rugby Champion 2022, Jake Howe, has achieved a goal alongside his teammates that many can only dream of - but there is more to wheelchair rugby than winning to the Australian.

Following an accident at just 20 years old, Howe was left paralysed from the armpits down. However, during his rehabilitation there was a wheelchair rugby demonstration, sparking Howe’s interest in the sport.

I pretty much hopped in a chair that day and really enjoyed it. Then once I’d finished rehab, I went down to the local club and that must have been within a year of my accident, and I have been there since. From playing within that first year, I haven’t stopped. I pretty much went straight into wheelchair rugby because being a quadriplegic there wasn’t a lot of sports back then to choose from. So, wheelchair rugby sort of just fell into my lap.

Howe initially played locally for his state for around 3 years before playing in the National League where states compete against one another.

After representing Western Australia for 2 years in the National League, Howe attended a futures camp hosted by the Australian team in 2016 where he said he “must have impressed the right people”. Following this camp, Team Australia put him on a 5 day a week training programme and he has represented Australia at nearly every event since.

Despite placing fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, Howe described a sense of relief and a feeling of having made it. Just a year after a disappointing fourth, Howe and his team stormed through to win Gold at the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championships. Howe described it as a tough battle, having to play 8 games to get to the Gold.

Although, whilst being World Champions is a tougher feat due to having to play more games than at the Paralympic Games – Howe said winning the Paralympic Gold has bigger bragging rights as everyone knows what the Paralympics is.

Even as World Champions their journey to the Paralympics is not going to be easy: as to qualify, Australia will have to beat Japan in 2 months’ time – the only team they lost to at the 2022 World Championships.

Beside all the medals and titles, wheelchair rugby has given Howe an outlet to stay physically and mentally fit following his life-altering accident.

I have always looked on the brighter side of life, but getting out of the house and keeping fit, helps you in day-to-day life, it just makes life that bit easier. You make so many friends all over the country, and being around a lot of other disabled people you learn tricks to do daily tasks, because everyone that is around you has usually been in a chair longer than you so who better to learn from.