Jack Howell is a triathlete who was awarded a Tier 3 Scholarship within the 2024 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program.
Jack is a Para triathlete in the PTS5 category. He was born prematurely in Canberra at 33 weeks while his parents were visiting for a wedding from Melbourne. Jack has a condition known as Symbrachydactyly, which resulted in a congenital amputation of the left hand and affected the left arm’s length and motion.
Jack found a love of sports from an early age; he had a natural talent for all sports and enjoyed the opportunity to show his abilities and remove stigmas in his peer groups. A competitive swimmer, cross-country runner, and triathlete throughout School Sport Victoria and National competition, Jack won many medals across a range of sports including Gold in the 50m Breaststroke at the 2021 National Swimming Championships.
Jack started racing triathlons at age 13. With no disability category for junior triathletes, Jack raced in his age group against able-body competitors until age 18. During this time Jack won numerous state and national medals and was the first para-athlete to be selected for the able-body School Sport Victoria triathlon team (twice). Jack found triathlon to be fast-paced with a variety of training, elements, and challenges that he found fun and always interesting. Jack decided to pursue a sports career in Para triathlon, unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions reduced Jack’s ability to compete and be internationally classified in his disability class. Finally, in 2022 he was able to be classified in the PTS5 category for triathlon allowing him to compete internationally.
Jack commenced racing International Paratriathlon in 2022 (open age). In just 12 months of international racing, Jack won five medals for Australia and is currently ranked 6th in the World Triathlon Para PTS5 rankings. At 19 years of age, Jack is the youngest PTS5 international competitor in the world rankings and the youngest on the Australian team.
Jack is aiming to compete at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, the 2028 LA Paralympic Games, and the 2032 Brisbane Paralympic Games. He currently holds both the Para and Under 19 years National Triathlon Championship titles, is a Lindsay Gaze Awardee, an Olympic Changemaker awardee, and a school speaker for the VIS & AIS school’s programs.
“It is such an honour to be selected as a SAHOF Scholarship recipient. The Scholarship shows me that others believe in me and my ability to strive for greatness in my sport. I am so grateful for the support towards extensive costs and support to be the best athlete I can be” – Jack Howell on being selected as a 2024 Tier 3 Scholarship holder.
Honours & Achievements
- 2023 World Triathlon Para Series, Yokohana – 2nd
- 2023 World Triathlon Para Series, Devonport – 2nd
- 2023 Oceania Triathlon Para Championships, Stockton – 2nd
- 2022 World Triathlon Para Championship Finals, Abu Dhabi – 7th
- 2022 World Triathlon Para Cup A, Coruna – 3rd
Social Links | @jack.howell.tri
