BOSTON – Northeastern men's rowing alum Jacob Plihal has qualified to compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris as a member of the U.S. Rowing Team. Plihal will race in the men's single sculls.
 
"It's electrifying to have qualified," said Plihal. "I'm looking forward to representing not only the USA at the games, but also Northeastern rowing/athletics. The rowing program has had a long history of national and Olympic team rowers, and I'm honored to be a part of that."
 
"I've been rowing post-collegiately since 2019, so to see the progress I've made in last five years of training culminate with an opportunity to race at the Olympics has been incredible to reflect upon."
 
Plihal'18 punched his ticket to the Olympics in thrilling fashion, racing on May 19 through May 21 in the Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta at the Rotsee, a lake just north of Lucerne, Switzerland, for one of the two remaining spots to go to Paris.
 
A fierce competitor that rises to the occasion, Plihal kicked off the morning against 30 individual rowers, competing in five separate heats. The Vashon Island, Washington native had a strong heat time, placing second, moving to the quarterfinals. Plihal then continued his winning ways in the semifinals, which then set up an exciting opportunity to compete in the finals.
 
"Winning the quarterfinal and semifinals races was definitely a confidence booster throughout the regatta, "said Plihal. "I knew it was possible going in to get into the finals and qualify, but also it was so freeing because no one expected anything of me."
 
Plihal was in third at the halfway point of the race, and then pulled in front by the 1500-meter mark. He continued to hold onto the lead with 200 meters to go and had a stellar sprint to seal a qualifying second-place finish with a time of 6:59.63. The margin was just .19 of a second.
 
"Upon finding out that Jacob qualified for the Olympics, I was super excited," said Associate Head Coach Trevor Appier, who rowed with Plihal from 2015-2018 at Northeastern. "I'm really proud of him and he truly deserves everything that he's earned and raced for," he added. "To have rowed and raced with him at Northeastern makes me appreciate what he has accomplished even more."

Plihal becomes the first Northeastern men's rower since 2012 to compete in the event, reinstating a legacy that has seen Husky rowers in the Olympics since the program began. 

"To have Jacob representing Northeastern University Rowing in the Olympics shows that athletes who row for Northeastern and decide to take the path towards elite rowing can succeed at the highest level post-collegiately."