Swimmer Jessica Long shares her inspiring journey from adoption to Paralympic gold

"The water has always been a place of freedom, safety, but also feeling really strong and capable," said the 13-time gold medalist.

Jessica first discovered her love of water in her grandparents' swimming pool. She said that she"instantly loved" the sensation of swimming. "I just had such determination to just prove to everyone that I could do it," she said."And I think that stems even stems from my adoption, just wanting to prove that I was worthy, that I was enough."

She quickly grew from her grandparents' pool and joined a local swim team at the age of 10. Just two years later, she earned a spot at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where she won three gold medals. Jessica Long of the USA wins the gold medal in the Womens 400m S8 Freestyle Final, on September 24, during the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games at the Swimming Pool in the Olympic Sports Complex Aquatic Centre in Athens, Greece."I remember showing up behind those blocks, just thinking to myself 'I did not come here to get second,' and I really, really wanted a gold medal," she recalled."I remember just absolutely wanting to jump in and race and swim as hard as I could.

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