SHOWING UP FOR LONG TIME

Simply taking part is already a victory for US veteran of six Paralympic Games

- Melvyn Teoh

The Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics will provide the stage for the United States' most bemedalled Paralympian Jessica Long to swim into the sunset.

But the 33-year-old double-leg amputee has not set any targets for herself as she retires in home waters. To her, what is more important is “showing up”, which she believes is a victory in itself.

Long, who has 18 gold, eight silver and five bronze Paralympic medals from six Games, said: “My end goal is Los Angeles and that’s finishing my race that I started when I was 12 years old.

“And I think the important thing is that I’m still showing up... There’s victory in showing up for 20-something years of my life.”

Long was born with fibular hemimelia, an underdevelopment of the lower legs, in Siberia and was adopted in the US as a 13-month baby, and had her legs amputated below the knee five months later.

Growing up, she was obsessed with winning and found herself being fuelled by anger, wanting to “go out there to prove that I was good enough”.

“And it worked, at 12 years old at my very first Paralympics, I won three golds and I think I carried that on, that I had to keep winning gold to be enough,” said Long, the third most decorated Paralympian of all time.