Jessica Long Retains Title at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Capturing Eighteenth Career Gold Medal

Politics Sports John Brightwater September 7, 2024

Jessica Long Retains Title at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Capturing Eighteenth Career Gold Medal

On September 17, 2024, celebrated American swimmer Jessica Long successfully defended her title in the S8 100m butterfly event during the Summer Paralympic Games held in Paris. With this remarkable performance, Long not only added her fourth title in this event but also achieved her eighteenth gold medal overall, capping off a distinguished Paralympic tenure.

Long’s final swim was a testament to her competitive spirit and skill, as she excelled in the last stretch of the race. Despite being heavily challenged by Britain’s Alice Tai, who initially led, Long made a stunning surge in the final ten meters to claim victory with a time of 1:10.59. This triumph follows her prior individual success in the S8 400m freestyle earlier in the Games.

Tai secured second place, completing the race in 1:11.62, while Neutral Paralympic Athlete Viktoriia Ishchiulova earned bronze with a finish time of 1:13.60. Long’s achievements in Paris bring her overall medal tally to 31 across six Paralympic Games, positioning her as the second most decorated American Paralympian in history. The record is currently held by the legendary Trischa Zorn, who boasts an impressive 55 medals, including 41 golds.

In a statement to Olympics.com, Long expressed her ambitions for the future, indicating a desire to conclude her illustrious career on a high note at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. “I am approaching the end of my career – I hope to end in LA,” she stated.

Jessica Long’s inaugural appearance at the Paralympic Games occurred in Athens in 2004, where she, at the age of twelve, garnered three gold medals, setting the stage for a remarkable journey in competitive swimming. The legacy of her achievements continues to inspire athletes and fans alike in the realm of adaptive sports.