Wakulich recorded the faster ever 2k time for Harvard Crew, beating the previous best by Malcolm Howard (5:57.8) in 2004, the year that Harvard won the National Championship in rowing. Howard went on to win Olympic Gold in the 8+ at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing for Canada.

Wakulich is looking into the future to perhaps follow in Howard’s footsteps. The Olympics has always been in the back of his mind as a goal and something to work toward.

“I’m starting to get pretty excited about the prospect of rowing for the Canadian national team,” Wakulich said. “I’m looking forward to U23’s this summer if I can stay healthy and not break anything.”

Knowing that someone else got a faster time on Sunday drives Wakulich to train harder and be faster.

“What this time means is that I still have to go a little faster,” he said. “The evidence is right there of the fellow who won, getting a time over and above any other college student in the nation.”

“It is somewhere I need to be if I want to perform at a world championship or Olympic level,” Wakulich said.

And competing at the Olympics is a “reasonable aspiration” for him, according to Parker.

“He could potentially compete at the international level,” Parker said. “He’s not very far away from it now.”

Coach Parker and Wakulich’s teammates commented on his lighthearted demeanor, which contrasts his 6’8’’, 214 lb frame.

“He’s an exceptional athlete giving just his size and physical capabilities, along with how coordinated he is,” Jordan said. “He has great physical gifts for the sport of rowing...He’s surprisingly goofy and easy to talk to for how intense and focused he is.”

“He’s an interesting fellow with a great sense of humor. He’s a real asset to our team,” Parker added. “He’s very promising.”

For now, Wakulich is focusing on the spring and summer season for Harvard.

“I want to do well here,” he said. “I want to win a National Championship for Harvard this year.”

As for his future: “I’d love to be rowing,” said Wakulich. He hopes to compete in Amsterdam for Canada, and hopefully make a boat for the Senior National Team. He is looking into moving to the west coast of Canada to Victoria to train for a living.

As for his new record?

“It’s an open invitation for any Harvard oarsmen, past and future, to go faster,” Wakulich said. “I won’t be content if that record stands for more than a year.”