Paralympic Spotlight: Jessica Long

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 30. THE only Paralympic athlete to win the Amateur Athletic Union's Sullivan Award, Jessica Long has been a trailblazer for all athletes with disabilities.

In 2007, Long claimed the 77th AAU James E Sullivan Award, which is given to the top amateur athlete in the United States. The honor has been around since 1930, and is presented annually to the best and brightest athletes in the country. Long beat out some amazing finalists such as Michael Phelps for the award that year.

"To be the first Paralympic athlete to win the Sullivan Award was amazing, and still, to this day, I can hardly believe it," Long, the 2006 Swimming World Magazine Disabled Swimmer of the Year, said. "I was honored to be nominated, but I never thought I would win. I was just thrilled to be doing to New York with my family."

Long also had the chance at the award ceremony to rub shoulders with some amazing athletes like Phelps. Other finalists that year included Joey Cheek (speedskating), Sasha Cohen (figure skating), Troy Dumais (diving), Chris Leak (football), Joakim Noah (basketball), Apolo Ohno, (speedskating), Candace Parker (basketball), Phelps (swimming), Brady Quinn (football), Angela Ruggiero (ice hockey), Troy Smith (football), Hannah Teter (snowboarding), Joe Warren (wrestling) and Bill Zadick (wrestling).

"I wanted to meet the other nominees, especially Michael Phelps," Long said of the ceremony. "When they announced my name, I didn't even hear it. I figured out I'd won when everyone in the room was looking at me. It was one of the most amazing nights of my life. I had received awards for swimming and for athletes with disabilities, but the Sullivan is more than that. It is for the best athlete in the country. It was also very special to me because of the caliber of the past recipients. I was the 77th person to receive the award in as many years, and that made me a member of an elite group."

Since the award in 2007, Long has been able to utilize the added elite status to open doors within her life and athletic career.

"I am so thankful to God for the opportunities I've had since winning the award," Long said. "I've been able to meet and talk with a lot of great people because of the Sullivan.

Long has been at the pinnacle of her athletic career for five years now with a pair of strong Paralympic outings to her credit thus far. In the 2004 Athens Games, as the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic Team, a 12-year-old Long claimed three gold medals. Then at the 2008 Games, Long completed the meet with six overall medals, four of the gold variety, and three world records. She still stands as the world record holder in 15 events.

"For me, Athens was all fun and no worries," Long said when reminiscing about her first Paralympics. "I was only 12, so it was all so exciting at that age. At the time, I don't think I understood how amazing it was just to have made the team. What I honestly remember most about Athens was the really, really good ice cream they had in the Olympic Village. It was the best ice cream I have ever tasted. I loved Greece."

After a breakthrough meet in 2004 that put her on the Paralympic pedestal and the groundbreaking acquisition of the 2007 Sullivan Award, Long headed to the 2008 Beijing Paralympics with a much different approach.

"I was more serious about Beijing," Long said about the 2008 Paralympics. "I went into the Games with my goals. I knew what I wanted to do, and there was definitely more pressure on me. I tried not to let the pressure get to me, but it's hard. I wanted everyone to be proud of me, and I didn't want to disappoint them. What I remember most about Beijing was the Water Cube, the close races, and being on the medal stand looking up to find my family and seeing them going nuts. That was a great moment in my life, seeing everyone I love up in the stands cheering for me. I also remember the first time I ever saw the Water Cube. I got such an adrenaline rush, and I remember saying to myself, ‘Okay, I am ready.'"

A common thread throughout any spotlight on success in the sport of swimming is a strong support system. Long has that in spades. When asked to name those in her support system, she listed all the members of her extended family. Her father, Steve, and her mother, Beth, along with five siblings ranging from sisters, Amanda, Hannah and Grace, to brothers, Steven and Joshua, were on the list. Additionally, grandparents, Norman and Janet Coucill as well as Larry and Nancy Long, earned spots on the list.

"I have a wonderful support system," Long said. "My family has contributed so much to my success by taking me to practice and giving me motivation to keep going when swim practices get hard. I have a very supportive family, including my grandparents. I have two brothers and three sisters, so my parents are very busy, but they are always willing to adjust their schedules to accommodate my practices and travel needs. I am truly blessed."

Every Paralympian comes with an interesting backstory. It is hard enough to just try to live what can be considered a normal life by able-bodied standards when one has a disability, but Paralympians always have that extra drive and support system to allow them to push themselves to great heights.

Long, however, has a bit deeper story than just the superficial focus on her disability. She was born in Siberia and was adopted by Steve and Beth from a Russian orphanage at 13 months old. Due to her condition (fibular hemimelia), she had her legs amputated when she was 18 months old.

"I don't remember anything about that first year in a Russian orphanage because I was adopted and came to the States when I was only 13 months old," Long said when asked about her history. "I feel as though it was God's plan for me to come to America, swim with no legs, and inspire people. I know my birthmother was 16 when I was born and couldn't take care of me."

Long has taken some time away from intense training since the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, but recently returned to a higher level of training in anticipation for the Can-Am Disability Championships in July.

"I just started to do more intense workout for Can-Ams in July," Long said about her training schedule. "I swim everyday, doubles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I do dryland four days a week. I first started with Dundalk Eastfield Swim Club (DESC), and the assistant coach, Andrew Barranco, left to start his own team. I followed him and have been with him ever since. I now swim for MAS, Merritt Athletic Swimming. It's a great team."

Long competes in the S8/SB7/SM8 classification. S1-S10 are physical classifications, while S11-S13 are for the visually impaired. Everyone is placed within these classifications through the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) functional classification system. This process is required in order to compete in an IPC approved/sanctioned meet.

"Both of my legs have been amputated right below the knees," Long said of her disability. "Therefore, I have to dive off the block on my knees. I also have to use my knees to push off the wall and I don't get much momentum from kicking my legs. I have to put much more emphasis on my upper body strength than able-body swimmers."

Long's future success shouldn't be much in doubt as she continues to break through barriers for the Paralympic community. She doesn't feel like she has even come close to reaching her potential.

"My determination [leads to my successes]," Long said. "I always want to win, and break records. I have a drive in me that keeps me going, and I have so much left that I want to accomplish."

Jessica Long at 2004 Athens Paralympics.

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