Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager’s historic Paralympics gold medal set in motion by 2017 conversation
One conversation seven years ago proved to be the start of a historic para-rowing day for Australia. BRAYDEN MAY goes inside the friendship of Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager.
A conversation between Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager in 2017 can be pinpointed as the moment a historic para-rowing partnership was formed.
At the Paralympic Games in Paris, the Australian pair combined to win the first the PR3 mixed double sculls at this level.
In the process, they won their country’s first para-rowing gold, remarkably just a year after first combining as a pair.
It turned out to be a historic day under bright Parisian skies after Eric Horrie claimed bronze in dramatic fashion to make it Australia’s greatest medal haul at the Paralympics in the sport.
Ayers recalled the conversation with her crewmate from seven years ago.
The former rugby union star with the Brumbies had undergone 16 surgeries to remove dead muscle after she developed dead foot following a dislocated knee and permanently damaged her peroneal nerve and popliteal artery.
“We had traumatic accidents, which gave us our disabilities, and it was only around 12 months apart,” Ayers said.
“The moment I met him, he changed my life. I was really struggling with my leg. I have really obvious scars and walk a bit differently. I was really struggling to accept my leg and who I was now as a person with a disability.
“One conversation with Jed where he was talking about how he realised, with his leg being amputated, he couldn’t change it. But what he could do was change his mindset to accept that.
“From that conversation, instead of being ashamed and trying to cover my leg, I learned to embrace it, and that helped me embrace my new identity as a para-athlete.”
The pair remained in contact in the years following with Ayers going onto compete at the Tokyo Paralympics in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four.
Altschwager missed selection.
But in March 2023, they were brought together again, this time by a phone call from the former Australian head coach asking if they wanted to combine.
Altschwager posed the question “what do you think mate?” and without hesitation Ayers agreed.
It was a decision which saw her move to South Australia so they could train “every day”.
“When Nikki moved down, it really solidified that commitment to what this cycle meant to us,” Altschwager said.
“I don’t know if I’d be here today if I had made Tokyo. I’m 38 so I’m getting along.
“I’m kind of looking at the next chapter in life and to be able to lock in for this cycle was a question I had to ask my wife and my family, are we willing to do this? And absolutely, their support is unmatched.
“When we did the heat the other day and we crossed the line, that’s officially when you become a Paralympian.
“Nikki reminded me of that, and that was bloody incredible. It’s incredible to do it with her.”
The success of Australia’s newest para-rowing heroes came shortly after Horrie was incredibly lifted to the bronze medal.
It adds to the three silver medals he had previously won.
He had crossed the line in fourth in the men’s single scull PR1 but his Italian rival, who finished third, was disqualified for using a communications device during the race, which is against race rules.
Horrie didn’t want to go into detail about the incident, where it’s understood several competitors appealed the result.
He said he had answered all questions officials had posed to him post-race.
“I have respect for the Italian rower and we’re still friends off the water,” Horrie said.
“People might not look at this medal the same way, but I mean, we all go out there under the same rules, and I think that’s the biggest part.
“All athletes that come to the Paralympic Games know there’s rules and regulations, and we all have to stick to them.”
In the PR3 mixed coxed four, Australia finished the race in fifth to round out the day.
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