As so many swimmers (and swammers) can attest to, swimming teaches not only physical strength but mental fortitude and discipline beyond anything imaginable. We are pushed to our limits every day, forced to go back to the drawing board after a race that doesn’t go our way and push on, patiently, until it does again.
Ali Truwit, a 2023 graduate of Yale, is the embodiment of this strength, which carried her through some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. After a remarkable career at Yale as a distance freestyler, a few days after graduation, she lost part of her leg in a shark attack in Turks and Caicos – and has a comeback story for the ages.
“Swimming was the first thing that saved my life, and the second was my teammate Sophie. She applied a tourniquet to my leg and stopped the bleeding. I’m forever indebted to her,” Truwit shared during her appearance on the Kelly Clarkson show earlier this year.
Doctors in Miami worked to save her life through surgeries and ultimately decided to amputate her leg, which she shares brought up many “big and heavy questions.” One of them: what next?
Instead of taking a step back, Truwit decided to train and compete at the 2024 European Open Championships, where she placed 2nd in the 400m Freestyle S10 – Women. At the Paralympics in Paris, she scored silver in both the 400m Freestyle S10 – Women and 100m Backstroke S10- Women. Truwit is currently the American Record Holder in the 400m S10 – Women and 100m S10- Women.
She attributes her inspiration to Jessica Long, who has been swimming for the US Paralympic team for 20 years, earning 18 gold, eight silver, and five bronze medals in a variety of events.
“What’s amazing about meeting Jess is that, for me, she emulates what the vibe of Paralympic swimming as a whole is. And for me, coming on deck, what I felt was a rising tide lifts all ships,” said Truwit. “We’re here to celebrate your wins as much as we’re here to celebrate our own. To see that support while you have your own focuses and your hopes for your own races is really incredible.”
The Heart of a Champion Swammy Award recognizes athletes who show strength in and out of the pool – and Truwit has done just that. Her journey to Paris not only showcases her physical strength and dedication but also her ability to be vulnerable and honest about her struggles to influence others to chase their dreams. And she has so much more to prove.
