U.S. swimmer Leanne Smith wins record Paralympic gold 2 years after suffering partially collapsed lung
American swimmer Leanne Smith overcame what to many would have been impossible — winning Paralympic record gold just two years after suffering a partially collapsed lung.
American swimmer Leanne Smith overcame what to many would have been impossible — winning Paralympic record gold just two years after suffering a partially collapsed lung.
The 36-year-old from Massachusetts won the women’s 100m Freestyle S3 Tuesday with a lightning fast record time of 1:28.81.
She was followed by Marta Fernández Infante of Spain, who won silver, and Rachael Watson of Australia, who won bronze.
After her victory, Smith called her win an "emotional" one.
“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. “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.”
Rating: 5