Humboldt bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann looks to L.A. 2028 after Paralympic debut in rowing

The Paralympic learning curve was steep, but worth it for Jacob Wassermann.

Less than two years after taking up the sport of Para rowing and six years after he survived a bus crash that killed members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, Wassermann raced the B final of men’s PR1 single sculls in Paris.

The 24-year-old from Humboldt, Sask., was the youngest competitor in the international field and finished 10th overall.

Wassermann says he became a Paralympian sooner than expected and that the Los Angeles Paralympic Games in 2028 had been his goal.

The athlete also says he learned a lot watching more experienced rowers that he can use as he prepares for L.A.

Wassermann was paralyzed from the waist down in the bus crash that killed 16 members of the Broncos. He tried adaptive water skiing and Para hockey before giving Para rowing a try.

“This is my second summer on the water only. It’s been a quick process and not something that we expected,” Wassermann said after Tuesday’s training session. “Six months ago, even when I was in Rio and got the qualification [at the Americas Continental Qualification Regatta] — we went to Rio just to get more experience.

“It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been a lot of fun.”

Wassermann finished fourth in the four-man B final, clocking 11 minutes 58.90 seconds in the 2,000-metre race at Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium.

Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard captured gold with a time of 9:03.84 in the A final, while Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi (9:14.47) and Australia’s Erik Horrie (9:23.37) took silver and bronze.