Jessica Long
Encyclopedia
Early life
Long was born in Siberia and was adopted from a Russian orphanage at the age of 13 months. Because of lower leg anomalies (fibular hemimelia), her legs were amputated when she was 18 months old. She learned to walk with prostheses. Long has been involved in many sports including gymnastics, cheerleading, ice skating, biking, trampoline, and rock climbing. She began swimming in her grandparents' pool before joining her first competitive team in 2002. The next year, Long was selected as Maryland Swimming's 2003 Female Swimmer of the Year with a Disability.At the 2004 Paralympic Games, Jessica Long exploded onto the international scene. As the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic Team, a 12-year-old Long won three gold medals. In 2008, with expectations of a huge medal haul at the Paralympic Games, Long delivered one incredible performance after another to win six medals, including four gold. In addition to her four gold medals, Long set three new world records. One of her gold medals was the 100-meter freestyle, which she swam just .19 seconds ahead of Paralympic-record-holder and world-record-holder Israeli Keren Leibovitch
Keren Leibovitch
Keren Or Leibovitch is an Israeli champion Paralympic swimmer.Leibovitch is a three-time world champion, a five-time European champion, a holder of three world records , and an eight-time Paralympic medal winner...
.
Long had 18 world record-breaking performances in 2006 and is the current world record holder in 15 events (one as part of a relay). Her stellar performance at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships – nine gold medals in nine events (seven individual, two relay) and five world records – drew attention from outside the world of Paralympic sport. In 2007, Long became the first Paralympic athlete selected as the Amateur Athletic Union's Sullivan Award winner, given to the best amateur athlete in the United States.
International swimming career
Long entered the international stage at the 2004 Paralympic Games in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, winning three gold medals in swimming. Only 12 years old at the time, Long was the youngest competitor on the U.S. Paralympic Team.
In 2006, Long won nine gold medals and set five world records at the International Paralympic Committee
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
(IPC) Swimming World Championships in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Overall, she had 18 world record-breaking performances in 2006 and is the current world record holder in 15 events (one as part of a relay). She was honored as the U.S. Olympic Committee's 2006 Paralympian of the year and Swimming World Magazine
Swimming World magazine
Swimming World Magazine is an American-based monthly swimming magazine, that was first published in a magazine format as Junior Swimmer in January of 1960...
's 2006 Disabled Swimmer of the Year. She became the first Paralympic athlete to win the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
James E. Sullivan Award
James E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
, presented to the USA's best amateur athlete.
Major Achievements:
- 2010: Seven gold medals, two world records (100 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley – WR, 100 m butterfly, 100 m freestyle, 34pts 4×100 m freestyle relay – WR, 400 m freestyle, 34pts 4×100 m medley relay); two silver medals (50 m freestyle, 100 m breaststroke) – International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
- 2010: Six gold medals (50 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle, 400 m freestyle, 100 m breaststroke, 100 m butterfly, 100 breaststroke) – Can-Am National Championships, San Antonio, Texas
- 2009: Four gold medals and world records (100 m freestyle – WR, 400 m freestyle – WR, 100 m breaststroke – WR, 100 m butterfly – WR); four silver medals (50 m freestyle, 100 m individual medley, 200 m individual medley, 34 pts 4×100 m freestyle relay) – International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships 25 m, Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - 2009: Seven gold medals, world record, S8 100 m breaststroke – Summer Can-Am Championships, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
- 2009: Seven gold medals (100 m breaststroke, 100 m butterfly, 50 m freestyle, 50 m butterfly, 400 m freestyle, 50 m breaststroke, 100 m freestyle) – Spring Can-Am Championships, Gresham, Oregon
- 2008: Paralympic Games Beijing: gold medal and world record in 400 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle, 200 m individual medley, gold medal in 100 m butterfly, silver medal in 100 m backstroke, bronze medal in 100 m breaststroke
- 2008: World record, S8 100 m butterfly – Can-Am Championships, Victoria, Canada
- 2007: First place, 50 m backstroke, 50 m butterfly, 100 m backstroke, 100 m breaststroke, 100 m freestyle, 200 m butterfly; second place, 50 m freestyle – U.S. Paralympics Open Swimming Championships, College Park, Md.
- 2007: Selected as USA SwimmingUSA SwimmingUSA Swimming is the national governing body for competitive swimming in the United States. It is charged with selecting the United States Olympic Swimming team and any other teams which officially represent the United States, as well as the overall organization and operation of the sport within the...
's Disability Swimmer of the Year (Trischa L. ZornTrischa ZornTrischa Zorn, born June 1, 1964 in Orange, California, is a United States swimmer. Blind from birth, she competes in Paralympic swimming . She is, at present, the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games, having won 55 medals, of which 41 are gold...
Award) - 2007: Recipient of the ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY AwardBest Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY AwardThe Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Outstanding Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award, has been presented annually since 2005 to the female, irrespective of nationality or sport contested, adjudged to be the best athlete with a physical disability... - 2007: Three world records (50 m butterfly, 200 m freestyle, 1500 m freestyle) – GTAC Disability Open, Oakland UniversityOakland UniversityOakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
, Rochester, MichiganRochester, MichiganRochester is an affluent city in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the northern outskirts of metro Detroit. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census... - 2007: Three world records (200 m backstroke, 400 m individual medley, 800 m freestyle) – Spring Can-Am Swimming Championships, MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... - 2007: Named winner of 77th AAU James E. Sullivan AwardJames E. Sullivan AwardThe James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
- 2006: Second place Rock ClimbingRock ClimbingRock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
Speed Climbing – Extremity GamesExtremity GamesThe Extremity Games is an adapitve sports competition, similar to the X Games, for athletes with amputations and limb differences. The Extremity Games was started by College Park Industries, a manufacturer of prosthetic feet, in the summer of 2006 in Orlando, Florida... - 2006: Named U.S. Olympic Committee Paralympian of the Year
- 2006: Named Disabled Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazineSwimming World magazineSwimming World Magazine is an American-based monthly swimming magazine, that was first published in a magazine format as Junior Swimmer in January of 1960...
- 2006: Selected as USA Swimming's Disability Swimmer of the Year (Trischa L. Zorn Award)
- 2006: Nine gold medals (100 m freestyle – WR, 100 m butterfly – WR, 200 m individual medley – WR, 400 m freestyle – WR, 34pts 4×100 m freestyle relay – WR, 50 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 100 m breaststroke, 34pts 4×100 m medley relay) – International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships, DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... - 2006: Two world records (100 m butterfly, 200 m individual medley) – Belgian Open, Antwerp, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- 2006: Five gold medals, silver medal, four world records (50 m breaststroke, 50 m butterfly, 200 m breaststroke, 400 m individual medley) – Can-Am Championships, London, OntarioLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... - 2006: U.S. Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Month – January 2006
- 2006: Two world records (100 m butterfly, 200 m individual medley) – Blaze Sports Georgia Open, Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
- 2005: Five gold medals, bronze medal, two world records, and named Swimmer of the Meet – 2005 U.S. Paralympics Open Swimming Championships, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
- 2004: Three gold medals – Paralympic Games, AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, 100 m freestyle