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]
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]
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]
