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Sports

Student represents UH in Paralympics

Klementich does not let physical setbacks prevent him from shinning in a of athletic pursuits

by Ronnie Turner
the Daily Cougar

As Jacob Klementich takes his lane by the pool in preparation for the coming 50-meter freestyle event, he already has the win on his mind. He knows he's the not the best swimmer in his classification, but this could be the day when he finally breaks the ice and takes the victory. 

However, he usually ends up finishing way off the lead, and this day is no exception. It takes Klementich, a kinesiology post baccalaureate, about a minute to complete the race while most of his competitors are toweling off after having finishing in nearly half that time. 

It's not exactly the result Klementich, 37, had hoped for, but he takes it all in stride because he knows that at the end of the day he accomplished what he set out to do: give it his best.

"It's my philosophy that someone's got to come in last; not everybody can win," Klementich said. "I try my darndest to win the games."

Though the record book may have shown that Klementich didn't win that day, he has been a winner in just about everything else he has attempted in life. He has been a victor in sports and in battles in the classroom with academics. On Saturday, he will attempt to win a medal at the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association championships at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. However, none of these contests are as challenging as the one Klementich confronted earlier in his time when he found himself locked in a fight for his life. 

When he was 14, Klementich incurred a life-threatening brain injury after being hit by a car when riding his bicycle. After the accident, he had to be flown to Hermann Hospital where he spent 10 days in the intensive care unit and another three-and-a-half months in a coma-like state. When he first attended high school, he had to use a wheelchair, but progressed to the point where he could use crutches and later was able to regain limited use of his legs.

Before the incident, Klementich had been a member of the football team at his Catholic grade school, and his high school physical therapist, Sue Hessie, encouraged him to get involved in wheelchair-related sports. Through her support, he joined the Houston Challengers, a wheelchair soccer team, at the age of 16.

"She pushed me to do my best," Klementich said. 

Klementich is still a member of the Challengers, but since that time, he has become involved in the Paralympics for physically challenge athletes, participating in swimming, track and field, bicycle racing and table tennis. When Klementich competes in the NCTTA championships on Saturday, it will be his sixth time participating in a Paralymics event.

"It kind of skips my mind (how many medals I've won), but it's a lot," Klementich said. 

Klementich said he couldn't have participated in such events without the help of other individuals. He also mentioned receiving help from the staff and faculty at UH.

Today, Klementich speaks with a slight slur and sometimes has trouble forming his thoughts, but that gives no indication of his true academic skills. He is currently working on his B.A. in kinesiology, and already has a B.A. in philosophy and two associate degrees in art and applied science and business administration. He said he is inspired to strive hard in college because of his two brothers who both have post baccalaureate degrees.

Marilyn Pustejovsky, assistant director of the UH Justin Dart Jr. Center for Students with Disabilities, has known and worked with Klementich through the Challengers for several years and said he is a joy to be around.

"He's very nice guy with a great sense of humor," Pustejovsky said. "He comes in (to the center) most days, and I just enjoy him being around. He's a good guy."

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