Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Jessica Long retains 100m butterfly S8 title to capture 18th career gold
USA swimming icon Jessica Long successfully defended her 100m S8 butterfly title on Saturday (17 September) to end the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with two gold medals in the bag.
Long captured her fourth gold in the event and her 18th in total as she timed her finish to perfection to swoop past Britain's long-time leader Alice Tai.
The 32-year-old touched the wall in 1:10.59 to add to her previous event wins at Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020.
Tai looked to have the race wrapped up but faded badly with Long surging home in the last 10 metres to add to her victory in the 400m freestyle S8.
Neutral Paralympic Athlete Viktoriia Ishchiulova touched in second place in 1:11.62 with Tai third in 1:13.60 as she claimed her fifth medal of the Games.
Long now has 31 medals across six Games making her the second most decorated American Paralympian in history. The legendary Trischa Zorn leads with 55 medals including 41 gold.
Speaking exclusively to Olympics.com, Long said she had her sights set firmly on finishing her career on a high in LA 2028.
“I'm coming towards the end of my career – I hope to end in LA."
Long made her Paralympic debut at Athens 2004 where she won three golds aged just 12.
Women's 100m butterfly S8 – results
- 🥇 Jessica Long (USA) 1:10.59
- 🥈 Viktoriia Ishchiulova (NPA) 1:11.62
- 🥉 Alice Tai (GBR) 1:13.60
- Brock Whiston (GBR) 1:13.69
- Lu Weiyian (CHN) 1:14.12
- Zhu Hui (CHN) 1:14.36
- Jiang Shengnan (CHN) 1:14.90
- Vitoria da Silva Ribeira (BRA) 1:16.21