American Paralympian Leanne Smith accomplished something she believed to be unthinkable two years ago, winning gold in the women’s 100 freestyle S3 at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris in record fashion.
Smith, 36, was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, in 2012, and represented the U.S. at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021, winning silver in the 100 free S3 in a time of 1:37.68.
However, in 2022, she had a major setback after suffering a partially collapsed lung.
After a long road back, Smith soared to gold in Paris in a time of 1:28.81, breaking the Paralympic Record of 1:30.07 set in 2016.
“It’s been a rough two years, you know, and trying to regain the ability to walk, to eat, to talk even was such a struggle from a setback two years ago and it’s been a dog fight day in and day out,” Smith said, according to NBC.
“Making it to Paris was the first step, and then obviously just this moment was not even really in my brain. I dreamt it, and never lost hope of it but there’s always that little bit of doubt that creeps in. But I can’t believe that I was able to bounce back from everything and this time come home with a gold as well.”
NEW PARALYMPIC CHAMPION 🇺🇸
🥇 Leanne Smith grabs her first-ever Paralympic gold medal after winning in the women’s 100m freestyle S3.
🥈 Marta Infante 🇪🇸
🥉 Rachael Watson 🇦🇺#ParaSwimming #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/XgKkXP6rYs— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) September 3, 2024
The Massachusetts native said that when she suffered the collapsed lung two years ago, she initially had difficulty breathing and her “body began to deteriorate quickly.”
“My heart rate and blood pressure started to bottom out and still are. I was placed on bedrest. Atrophy set in fast, I lost the ability to breathe normally, talk, swallow, eat solids and control the muscles surrounding my left eye,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Following her win in the 100 free, Smith followed up by winning a second gold medal in the women’s 50 free S4, and added a pair of Paralympic silver medals in the mixed 4×50 free relay 20pts and the mixed 4×50 medley relay 20pts.
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