Sports: Swimming
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Currently Resides: Baltimore, Maryland
Birthdate: February 29, 1992
Social Media: Twitter: @JessicaLong; Instagram: @jessicatatianalong; Facebook: JessicaLongOfficial
Toyota Vehicle: Toyota 4Runner
Paralympic History: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020

Competition Highlights

• Second-most decorated U.S. Paralympian in history with 29 medals (16 Gold, 8 Silver, 5 Bronze) 
• Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, gold (100m fly, 200m IM, 4x100m medley relay), silver (100m breast, 400m free), bronze (100m back) 
• Paralympic Games Rio 2016, gold (200 IM), silver (400m free, 100m breast, 4×100 34 pt. free relay), bronze (100m fly, 100m back) 
• Paralympic Games London 2012, gold (400m free, 100m free, 100m breast, 100m fly, 200m IM), silver (100m back, 34 pt. 4x100m free), bronze (34 pt. 4x100m medley), 5th (50m free) 
• Paralympic Games Beijing 2008, gold (400m free, 100m free, 100m fly, 200m IM), silver (100m back), bronze (100m breast), 6th (50m free) 
• Paralympic Games Athens 2004, gold (400m free, 100m free, 34 pt. 4x100m free), 5th (50m free) 

About Jessica Long

Originally from Siberia, Jessica Long was adopted at 13 months old from a Russian orphanage and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland with her parents, Steve and Beth, and five siblings. Long was born with fibular hemimelia and did not 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.  

Long learned how to swim in her grandparents’ pool where she spent hours pretending, she was a mermaid. She joined her first competitive swim team at 10 years old with her first international competition being the Paralympic Games Athens 2004 where she was the youngest athlete on the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team at 12 years old. She became the first five-time member of the Paralympic Swimming Team in Tokyo 2020. She ranks as the second-most decorated U.S. Paralympian in history with 29 medals.  

Throughout her career, Long has several accolades to her name including the winner of the 77th Amateur Athletic Union James E. Sullivan Award, three-time ESPY winner for “Best Female Athlete with a Disability” (2007, 2012, 2013) and named to Sports Illustrated’s “The World’s Best Female Athletes.” In 2018, she released a photographic memoir, “Unsinkable: From Russian Orphan to Paralympic Swimming World Champion.” 

Long was featured in Toyota’s 2021 Big Game commercial. The widely-praised spot entitled “Upstream” highlighted Long’s adoption journey and excellence in the Paralympic Games.   

 Long married her husband, Lucas, in October 2019. When not training or competing, Long enjoys Pilates, reading, interior design, finding new coffee shops, and spending time with family.