Paris 2024: Jessica Long rewrites history books with 17th Paralympic gold

The unstoppable Jessica Long added more Paralympic glory to her more than impressive medal collection on Wednesday at La Defense Arena in Paris. 

The USA Para swimmer took her fourth Games victory in the women’s 400m freestyle S8, and the first since London 2012, to reach her 30th Paralympic medal and 17th gold.

"Well, seven is one of my favourite numbers. It feels so good, right? I definitely woke up today really sore. My back was hurting, but I'm so thankful to my coach, who just continued to believe in me the whole day. I got to go back, take a good nap, and I just remember thinking to myself before I jumped in: ‘Do this for the little Russian girl who would never give up,” said Long, who was born in Russia and adopted by her parents in USA when she was 13 months old.

"I really wanted to get to the 30 medal count. I would have been OK. I think you win with grace and you lose with grace,” she added. “This is my sixth Paralympics that I've proven that I can win a gold medal. I just tried to channel and put my head down, and I was like: ‘You know what? This last 50m might hurt, but not doing well might hurt even more’."

The same day Long, the legend, picked her 17th gold, an Australian rising star topped the podium for the first time in an individual event. Alexa Leary set a new women’s 100m freestyle S9 world record twice in the same day at La Defense Arena, first in the morning heats (59.60) and later in the final (59.53)

"I have come so far. Being told three years ago I wouldn't live. But I am. Once again, I did prove the world wrong. I am walking, I am talking, when we were told I would never. The fact I am swimming so very well and at the Paralympics, I am just like, 'Well done Lex, you have honestly come so very far,” said the Australian, who two days earlier took her first Paralympic title as part of Australia’s mixed 4x100m medley relay 34 points.

Other two world records fell on Wednesday at Paris 2024. Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov improved his own mark in over half a second in the men’ 50m freestyle S7 (26.38) to take his second Paralympic title in the race. 

Right after his event, China’s Jiang Yuyan also bettered her own world record in the women’s 100m freestyle S7 (1:09.68) to secure her fourth gold medal at Paris 2024.

"I am excited. It's amazing. I didn't think I could do this, but I did it,” the Chinese swimmer said. “The first 50 metres I had a rich feeling. After that,I felt like I was the winner already. Then I just tried my best to finish.”

This is my sixth Paralympics that I've proven that I can win a gold medal

Here are medallists of the Para swimming events at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on 4 September:

Men's 100m Freestyle - S12 Final
Gold: Yaroslav Denysenko (Ukraine)
Silver: Maksym Veraksa (Ukraine)
Bronze: Raman Salei (Azerbaijan)

Women's 100m Freestyle - S12 Final
Gold: Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (Brazil)
Silver: Anna Stetsenko (Ukraine)
Bronze: Ayano Tsujiuchi (Japan)

Men's 200m Individual Medley - SM14 Final
Gold: Nicholas Bennett (Canada)
Silver: Rhys Darbey (Great Britain)
Bronze: Ricky Betar (Australia)

Women's 200m Individual Medley - SM14 Final
Gold: Valeriia Shabalina (NPA)
Silver: Poppy Maskill (Great Britain)
Bronze: Aira Kinoshita (Japan)

Men's 400m Freestyle - S8 Final
Gold: Alberto Amodeo (Italy)
Silver: Reid Maxwell (Canada)
Bronze: Andrei Nikolaev (NPA)

Women's 400m Freestyle - S8 Final
Gold: Jessica Long (United States)
Silver: Alice Tai (Great Britain)
Bronze: Xenia Francesca Palazzo (Italy)

Men's 50m Breaststroke - SB2 Final
Gold: Arnulfo Castorena (Mexico)
Silver: Ismail Barlov (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Bronze: Grant Patterson (Australia)

Women's 50m Breaststroke - SB3 Final
Gold: Monica Boggioni (Italy)
Silver: Patricia Pereira dos Santos (Brazil)
Bronze: Marta Fernandez Infante (Spain)

Men's 50m Freestyle - S7 Final
Gold: Andrii Trusov (Ukraine)
Silver: Carlos Daniel Serrano Zarate (Colombia)
Bronze: Egor Efrosinin (NPA)

Women's 100m Freestyle - S7 Final
Gold: Jiang Yuyan (China)
Silver: Morgan Stickney (United States)
Bronze: Giulia Terzi (Italy)

Women's 100m Freestyle - S9 Final
Gold: Alexa Leary (Australia)
Silver: Christie Raleigh-Crossley (United States)
Bronze: Mariana Ribeiro (Brazil)

Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay - 49 Points Final
Gold: Ukraine
Silver: Brazil
Bronze: Spain