The USAâs Jessica Long hit a major milestone on Wednesday, winning her 30th Paralympic medal with gold in the womenâs 400m freestyle S8. She has now won at least one gold medal at every Paralympic Games since Athens 2004.
Alice Tai of Great Britain finished behind Long for silver to complete her Paris 2024 collection.
âShe hadnât medalled in the first couple of events, and people forgot what a legend she was,â Tai said of Long. âI had someone ask me if she wasnât a good swimmer any more, and that really upset me, because sheâs phenomenal, sheâs everyoneâs hero here.
Ukraine won three gold medals at La DĂ©fense Arena on day seven. Andrii Trusov broke his own world record in the menâs 50m freestyle S7 to claim first place, with Yaroslav Denysenko winning his first-ever Paralympic gold in the menâs 100m freestyle S10. Ukraine won the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points event as well.âIt was my lifeâs dream,â said Denysenko. âSince I was five years old, my only wish for my birthdays and every other holiday was to win the gold Paralympic medal, and it came true.â
Mexicoâs Arnulfo Castorena won his fourth Paralympic gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke SB2, 24 years after winning his first at Sydney 2000. At 46 years old, Castorena is 32 years older than 14-year-old Ismail Barlov of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who took silver.
