Jessica

Long

Quick Facts

• • Long grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, but is originally from Siberia
  • When she was only 13 months old, she was adopted from a Russian orphanage
  • Born with fibular hemimelia, she didn’t have fibulas, ankles, heels and most of the other bones in her feet
  • At 18 months old, her legs were amputated below the knees so she could be fitted for prosthetic legs and learn how to walk
  • She has been involved in many sports including gymnastics, basketball, cheerleading, ice skating, biking, running, and rock climbing
  • She learned how to swim in her grandparents’ pool where she would spend hours pretending she was a mermaid
  • Daughter of Steve & Beth Long
  • Has five siblings, Amanda, Steven, Joshua, Hannah, and Grace
  • Joined first competitive swim team at 10 years old
  • First international competition was the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games
  • At 12 years old, was the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team in Athens
  • Winner of 77th AAU James E. Sullivan Award
  • Three-time (2007, 2012, 2013) recipient of the ESPN Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award
  • Named to Sports Illustrated’s “The World’s Best Female Athletes"
  • Twice (2006, 2011) named Disabled Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazine
  • Commented for NBC at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games
  • Is a leap year baby
  • Interests include Pilates, reading, interior design, finding new coffee shops and spending time with family.

Paralympic Experience

• 6-time Paralympian; 31-time Paralympic medalist (18 gold, 8 silver, 5 bronze)
• Paralympic Games Paris 2024, gold (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), 4th (200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women), 6th (100m Backstroke S8 - Women)
• Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, (4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women), gold (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women), silver (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), bronze (100m Backstroke S8 - Women)
• Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, gold (200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women), silver (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), bronze (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women), 4th (100m Freestyle S8 - Women), 9th (50m Freestyle S8 - Women)
• Paralympic Games London 2012, gold (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), silver (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women), bronze (4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women), 5th (50m Freestyle S8 - Women)
• Paralympic Games Beijing 2008, gold (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), silver (100m Backstroke S8 - Women), bronze (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women), 6th (50m Freestyle S8 - Women)
• Paralympic Games Athens 2004, gold (100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women), 5th (50m Freestyle S8 - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2023 – gold (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women), 4th (100m Freestyle S8 - Women), 5th (4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Mixed)
• Years of participation: 100m Butterfly S8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023; 100m Freestyle S8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023; 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023; 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Mixed 2023; 100m Backstroke S8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019; 100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019; 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019; 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019; 400m Freestyle S8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019; 50m Freestyle S8 - Women 2006, 2010, 2015, 2019; 100m Breaststroke SB7 SC - Women 2009; 100m Butterfly S11 SC - Women 2009; 100m Freestyle S8 SC - Women 2009; 100m Individual Medley SM8 SC - Women 2009; 200m Individual Medley SM8 SC - Women 2009; 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points SC - Women 2009; 400m Freestyle S8 SC - Women 2009; 50m Freestyle S8 SC - Women 2009
• Medals: 54 (37 gold, 15 silver, 2 bronze)
• Gold – 2023 (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women); 2017 (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2015 (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2013 (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2010 (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2009 (100m Breaststroke SB7 SC - Women, 100m Butterfly S11 SC - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 SC - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 SC - Women); 2006 (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women, 400m Freestyle S8 - Women, 50m Freestyle S8 - Women)
• Silver – 2019 (100m Butterfly S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women, 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Women); 2015 (100m Backstroke S8 - Women, 100m Freestyle S8 - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women); 2013 (100m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2010 (100m Breaststroke SB7 - Women, 50m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2009 (100m Individual Medley SM8 SC - Women, 200m Individual Medley SM8 SC - Women, 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points SC - Women, 50m Freestyle S8 SC - Women)
• Bronze – 2019 (400m Freestyle S8 - Women); 2013 (4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Women)