Ben Washburne is the rower furthest to the right in the above photo provided courtesy of USRowing
WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. – Ben Washburne '23 has been named to the USRowing PR3 mixed four with coxswain boat competing in the 2024 Paralympics this summer in Paris.
Washburne competed for the Eph men's crew team for four years and is a graduate of The Hopkins School in New Haven, Conn. where he also participated in rowing.
The Paralympics are the Olympics for athletes with disabilities, run every four years, just after the able-bodied Olympics, in the same venue. In Ben's class, the PR3 Mixed 4+ event, the competitors have use of their legs, trunk, and arms, but have either a visual or physical impairment such as reduced limb function or loss of muscle strength.
Eph head men's crew coach
Marc Mandel stated, "Ben was an incredible student athlete and leader on our team during his four years at Williams. It's fun, but not surprising, to see a similar impact he is having on the U.S National Team. Ben and his crew rowed extremely well to earn silver at the World Championships, and I'm excited to see what they can do in Paris '24."
The crew was chosen through a selection camp process, which concluded this past weekend in Sarasota, Fla.
While this year's boat will feature all first-time Paralympians, all of the athletes reached the medal stand at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
"This was a very competitive camp, and I congratulate all the athletes," said USRowing Director of Para High Performance Ellen Minzner. "I also would like to thank the college coaches for supporting our program by helping their student athletes develop a successful path to the Paralympic team."
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are scheduled from August 28 to September 8, with para rowing events beginning August 30. Five boat classes will be contested in Paris including the PR1 men's and women's single sculls, PR2 mixed double sculls, PR3 mixed double sculls, and PR3 mixed four with coxswain.
More on Ben Washburne courtesy of USRowing:
National Teams: One – Senior, 2023
International Results: Won silver in the PR3 mixed four with coxswain at the 2023 World Championships...Won gold in the PR3 mixed four with coxswain at the 2023 Para Rowing Regatta to Paris.
National Results: Won the Division III second varsity eight at the 2023 IRA National Championships…Won the Division III team title at the 2023 IRA National Championships…Won the second varsity eight at the 2022 National Invitational Championships…Won the second varsity eight at the 2022 New England Rowing Championships…Finished seventh in the boy's four with coxswain at the 2019 NEIRA Championships.
Personal: Ben received the 2023 John A. Shaw Award for Commitment, Perseverance and Commitment at Williams College. He was selected 2023 All-NESCAC Second Team. He won the 2018 Crew Coaches' Award for Leadership and Dedication at Hopkins School. Ben enjoys fishing, traveling, eating good food, and learning. He is a die hard Denver Broncos fan, a big country music fan, and definitely has a sweet tooth.
Ben's dad rowed in college and encouraged him to learn. Ben lists his grandfather, Walter Koski, as his personal hero because he grew up in a poor immigrant family to become very successful through hard work. Walter had a devastating stroke later in life, leaving half his body paralyzed. While they said he would never walk again, he not only learned to walk again but is still doing so 25 years later and is more positive than anyone else Ben knows. When he's done rowing, Ben wants to work in the green energy industry, which he finds as both exciting and critically important work.
