Jed Altschwager

Jed Norman Altschwager OAM (born 12 September 1986) is an Australian Paralympic rower. He teamed with Nikki Ayers to win a gold medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships and they won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.^[1]

Jed Altschwager

OAM

Personal information
Full name	Jed Norman Altschwager
Nationality	Australian
Born	(1986-09-12) 12 September 1986 (age 38)
Home town	Largs Bay, South Australia
Sport
Country	Australia
Sport	Para-rowing
Disability class	PR3
Club	Torrens Rowing Club
Coached by	Christine McLaren
Medal record Para-rowing Representing  Australia Paralympic Games 2024 Paris PR3 mixed double sculls World Rowing Championships 2018 Plovdiv PR3 Men's coxless pair 2019 Ottensheim PR3 Men's coxless pair 2023 Belgrade PR3 Mixed double sculls

Personal

Altschwager was born on 12 September 1986.^[2] In 2015, he lost his foot after an accident with an excavator at work.^[3] His rehabilitation identified rowing as a sport he could pursue and he took up the sport in 2017. Previous to his injury, he was a regular surfer. He is married to Jessica and they have a son Wolf and daughter Aspen.^[4]

Rowing

Altschwager made his international debut at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in the Men's PR3 Men's Pair with James Talbot. They won the silver medal.^[5] At the 2019 World Rowing Championships, he teamed with Will Smith to win the silver medal in the Men's PR3 Men's Pair.^[5]

Altschwager with Nikki Ayers won the gold medal in the PR3 Mixed Double at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade and 2024 Summer Paralympics.^[6] They became the first Australian Paralympic rowers to win a gold medal.^[7]

He was a South Australian Sports Institute athlete, he was coached by Lizzi Chapman and a member of Torrens Rowing Club.^[2] He announced his retirement in December 2024.^[8]

In December 2024, he was selected in the second Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Gen32 Coach Program.^[9]

Recognition

• 2023 – Rowing Australia Para Crew of the Year with Nikki Ayers.^[10]
• 2023 – Rowing Australia 77BC Rower's Rower of the Year^[10]
• 2023 – World Rowing Para Crew of the Year with Nikki Ayers^[11]
• 2024 – South Australian Sports Institute Para Athlete of the Year Nikki Ayers^[12]
• 2024 – Rowing Australia Para Crew of the Year with Nikki Ayers^[13]
• 2024 – Paralympics Australia Team of the Year with Nikki Ayers^[14]
• 2024 - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024.^[15]