Jessica Long
Jessica Tatiana Long (born February 29, 1992) is an American Paralympic swimmer who competes in S8, SB7, and SM8 classifications for swimmers with physical impairments, having amassed 30 Paralympic medals—including 17 golds—across six Games from 2004 to 2024.[1][2] Born in Bratsk, Russia, with fibular hemimelia—a congenital absence of the fibula bones resulting in her below-knee amputations at 18 months—Long was adopted at 13 months old by a Baltimore family alongside her biological brother, fostering her early adaptation to prosthetic legs and introduction to swimming as therapeutic exercise.[3][1][4] Debuting internationally at age 12 in the 2004 Athens Paralympics as the youngest U.S. Paralympian ever, she secured three gold medals, setting the stage for a career marked by world records, over 50 world championship medals, and consistent dominance in freestyle, medley, and breaststroke events despite evolving physical challenges from wear on her prosthetics.[5][6] Beyond athletics, Long advocates for adoption, drawing from her own experience, and has authored works and delivered speeches emphasizing resilience and self-belief.[7][8]Early Life and Background
Birth and Medical Condition
Jessica Long was born Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova on February 29, 1992, in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia, with bilateral fibular hemimelia, a congenital condition involving the partial or complete absence of the fibula bones in both legs, accompanied by underdeveloped ankles, heels, and most foot bones.[4][9] This rare deformity, occurring in approximately 1 in 40,000 births, impairs lower limb development and often necessitates surgical intervention to improve mobility and prevent complications such as joint instability or chronic pain.[9] Due to the severity of her condition, Long underwent bilateral below-knee amputations at 18 months of age, a procedure recommended to enable prosthetic fitting and functional ambulation despite the absence of viable lower leg structures.[3][1] The surgery addressed the functional limitations inherent to fibular hemimelia, where malformed limbs hinder weight-bearing and gait, though it introduced lifelong reliance on prosthetics and ongoing orthopedic management.[10]Adoption and American Upbringing
Jessica Long, originally named Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova, was born on March 29, 1992, in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia, to a 16-year-old mother who relinquished her for adoption shortly after birth due to the infant's congenital condition and the mother's inability to provide care.[11][12] At 13 months old, she was adopted internationally by Beth and Steven Long, a couple from Timonium, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, who had faced fertility challenges after having two biological children and sought to expand their family through adoption.[4][13] The Longs also adopted Jessica's older brother, Joshua, then aged three, from the same Russian orphanage; Joshua had a cleft palate that was surgically corrected after their arrival in the United States.[4][14] Upon arriving in the United States, Jessica underwent bilateral below-knee amputations at 18 months old, performed by American physicians to address the severe deformities caused by fibular hemimelia, a condition involving underdevelopment or absence of the fibula bones in both legs.[8][15] The family provided her with prosthetic legs, enabling her to learn to walk and engage in physical activities typical of childhood, including gymnastics and dance, within a supportive household that emphasized resilience and normalcy despite her physical differences.[3][16] Raised in Baltimore, Long attended local schools and participated in family-oriented pursuits, crediting her adoptive parents' encouragement for fostering her active lifestyle and determination from an early age.[3][17]Initial Challenges and Adaptations
Long was born on March 29, 1992, in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia, with fibular hemimelia, a congenital condition characterized by the partial or complete absence of the fibula bones in both legs, resulting in malformed lower limbs and limited mobility.[4] This condition, which affected her from birth, posed immediate physical challenges, including instability and difficulty in basic movement, compounded by her placement in an orphanage where medical resources were scarce.[7] At 13 months old, she was adopted by Steve and Beth Long, an American couple from Baltimore, Maryland, who brought her to the United States, initiating a series of interventions to address her disability.[3] Five months after adoption, at 18 months of age, Long underwent bilateral below-knee amputations to facilitate better prosthetic fitting and overall mobility, marking the first of approximately 25 surgeries she would endure through her early twenties to manage complications from her condition and surgical outcomes.[4][18] The procedure, while enabling long-term adaptations, presented acute postoperative challenges such as pain management, infection risks, and the psychological adjustment to limb loss at a toddler age.[13] Post-amputation, Long was fitted with prosthetic legs, which required extensive physical therapy and iterative adjustments as she grew, allowing her to learn walking and engage in typical childhood activities despite ongoing socket fittings and maintenance needs.[19] Her family's support, including encouragement for an active lifestyle, aided adaptations like balancing on prosthetics for play and navigation, though she faced persistent issues such as skin breakdowns from prosthetic use and the physical demands of frequent medical appointments.[8] These early experiences fostered resilience, with Long later describing the prosthetics as transformative for independence, enabling her to run and participate in sports by school age.[20]Swimming Career
Entry into Competitive Swimming
Long began swimming recreationally in her grandparents' pool during her childhood in Baltimore, Maryland, initially as a playful activity rather than a structured pursuit.[1] At the age of 10, after experimenting with sports such as gymnastics, she transitioned to competitive swimming by joining her first swim team, where she quickly adapted to the demands of training and competition despite her bilateral below-knee amputations.[21] [10] Her entry into organized competitive swimming marked a pivotal shift, as she focused on refining her technique to compete effectively with able-bodied and other para swimmers, emphasizing stroke efficiency and endurance in practices.[22] Within two years of starting competitive training, Long qualified for the U.S. Paralympic team, demonstrating exceptional talent and determination that propelled her toward international competition.[4] [3] This rapid progression from novice swimmer to Paralympic selection at age 12 highlighted her natural aptitude for the sport, supported by early coaching that accommodated her physical condition while building core swimming fundamentals.[16] [23]Breakthrough and Junior Successes
Long's entry into competitive swimming occurred around age 10, following her adoption and adaptation to prosthetic legs, with her first structured training emphasizing technique and endurance in adaptive programs.[24] By 2002, after approximately two years of focused practice, she demonstrated rapid progress in local and regional meets, qualifying for national-level events that positioned her for international selection.[4] Her breakthrough arrived at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, where, at age 12—the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic swimming team—she debuted internationally by winning three gold medals in the women's 100 m freestyle S8 (1:04.18), 400 m freestyle S8 (5:11.67), and 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S7-S8, alongside two silver medals in the 100 m backstroke S8 and 4 × 100 m medley relay S7-S8.[5] [3] These victories, achieved with limited prior competitive experience, marked her as a prodigy in the S8 classification for swimmers with limb deficiencies.[4] In subsequent junior-level competitions, Long solidified her dominance; at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa, the then-15-year-old secured nine gold medals across events including the 100 m freestyle S8, 400 m freestyle S8, and multiple relays, while breaking 18 world records in S8 and SB7 categories.[25] These performances, including personal bests that lowered previous marks by margins up to 3 seconds in the 400 m freestyle, underscored her technical refinements in stroke efficiency and starts despite bilateral below-knee amputations.[5]Paralympic Competitions and Major Wins
Long debuted at the 2004 Athens Paralympics at age 12, becoming the youngest member of the U.S. team and winning three gold medals in swimming events, including the women's 400 m freestyle S8.[5][26] At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, Long secured four gold medals across individual events such as the 100 m butterfly S8 and 100 m freestyle S8, contributing to a total of six medals including one silver and one bronze.[3][5] Her performance peaked at the 2012 London Paralympics with eight medals, highlighted by five golds in events like the 100 m breaststroke SB7, establishing her as a dominant force in S8-class swimming.[3][27] In the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Long earned six medals, including one gold in the 200 m individual medley SM8, though she later described the Games as personally disappointing due to fewer golds relative to expectations.[3][28] Long rebounded at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics with six medals, securing three golds: the 200 m individual medley SM8 for her fourth consecutive victory in that event, the 100 m butterfly S8, and a relay gold in the 4 × 100 m medley 34 pts.[3][29] At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she claimed two golds in the 400 m freestyle S8—her first in that event since 2004—and the 100 m butterfly S8, plus a silver in the 100 m freestyle S7, bringing her career Paralympic total to 18 golds among 31 medals.[30][31][6]| Paralympic Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Athens | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2008 Beijing | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2012 London | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 2016 Rio | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 2020 Tokyo | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 2024 Paris | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Career Total | 18 | 10 | 4 | 32 |
Post-2020 Developments and 2024 Paris Games
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, held in 2021, Long won gold medals in the women's 200 m individual medley SM8 (2:41.49) and 100 m butterfly S8, along with a silver in the 400 m freestyle S8, contributing to her career total reaching 29 medals (16 golds) by the event's conclusion.[32][33][34] Following Tokyo, Long qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympics by winning the women's 100 m butterfly S8 at the U.S. Para Swimming Trials in June 2024 (1:13.24).[35] In Paris, she claimed her first gold on September 4 in the women's 400 m freestyle S8, finishing in 4:53.43 to defeat Great Britain's Ella Jones by 10.31 seconds; this marked her fourth Paralympic title in the event (previously 2004, 2008, 2012) and her 30th career medal overall (17th gold).[30][6][36] Long secured a second gold in Paris on September 7, defending her title in the women's 100 m butterfly S8 with a time of 1:10.59, elevating her totals to 31 Paralympic medals (18 golds).[31][37] These performances, achieved at age 32 across her sixth Paralympic appearance, underscored her enduring dominance in S8 classification events despite the physical demands of bilateral below-knee amputation.[26]Achievements and Records
Overall Medal Tally
Jessica Long has amassed 31 Paralympic medals across six Games from 2008 to 2024, comprising 18 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze, establishing her as the second-most decorated U.S. Paralympian behind Trischa Zorn.[37][38] Her medal count includes two golds from the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the women's 400 m freestyle S8 and 100 m butterfly S8 events.[30][38] The following table summarizes her Paralympic medal tally by Games:| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Beijing | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 2012 London | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2016 Rio | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 2020 Tokyo | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2024 Paris | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 18 | 8 | 5 | 31 |