PARIS – Reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder Gia Pergolini (Atlanta, Georgia) defended her women’s 100-meter backstroke S13 gold medal on Friday, claiming the first gold medal of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games for Team USA. Three-time Paralympian Elizabeth Marks (Colorado Springs, Colorado) added two more medals to her collection in Friday’s action, earning an individual spot on the podium in addition to a silver medal win with the U.S. team in the mixed 4x50-meter freestyle relay-20 points. Marks joined two-time Paralympians Abbas Karimi (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), Leanne Smith (Salem, Massachusetts), and Zach Shattuck (Mt. Airy, Maryland) in the mixed relay.

Competing in her second event of the Paris Games, Pergolini opened her signature race fast, but was sure to leave some gas in the tank for the second leg. Despite fatigue setting in over the final 15 meters, she touched the wall first and quickly realized she was a two-time Paralympic champion, celebrating in the pool. Pergolini returned to the top of podium with a time of 1:04.93, winning the first gold medal of the 2024 Paralympic Games for her U.S. squad.

“You think it gets easier. It doesn’t get easier. I’m so happy to be here representing one of the greatest countries in the world and getting its first gold medal. I ended up achieving my goal, which was winning gold,” Pergolni said.

“Usually for my 100 back, I know I go out really fast and my mindset was you’re going to go out really fast anyway so just pace yourself. Don’t go out too hard and then just give it all you’ve got in the last 50. I’ve done this so many times so it’s kind of second nature to me,” she added.

Pergolini had teammate and 2024 silver medalist Grace Nuhfer (Greenwood, Indiana) by her side in the Paralympic champion’s signature race crediting Nuhfer for helping keep her relaxed for the high-pressure race. Nuhfer finished eighth in the women’s 100-meter backstroke S13 one night after winning a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter butterfly S13 in her Paralympic debut.

“It’s just such a fun experience being with her. I love her. She’s new to the Paralympics and I’m so glad she’s here representing the country like me. We just keep growing our friendship closer and closer each day and each race. She’s amazing,” Pergolini said of Nuhfer.

Pergolini will compete in her final race of the Paralympic Games on Monday in the 50-meter butterfly S6.

Marks continues to dominate in Paris claiming a second silver medal of the competition in the women’s 200-meter individual medley SM6. She finished fourth in the same race in Tokyo but jumped up two spots in this year’s event with a time of 3:02.90, finishing second to world record holder and reigning Paralympic champion Maisie Summers-Newton of Great Britain.

“It feels great. I swim with amazing women so it’s a lot of fun. It’s a fun race. I was very proud of that fourth-place finish (in Tokyo), and I’m very proud of this second-place finish,” Marks said.

She’s had a busy first two days in Paris, winning a silver medal, her sixth piece of Paralympic hardware, in opening day action and competing in four races on Friday at the Paris La Défense Arena. With the two silver medals she won on Friday, Marks now has eight Paralympic medals and she will be back in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S6 on Tuesday.

The U.S. squad closed out the day in an exciting finish, taking silver in the mixed 4x50-meter freestyle relay-20 points in the final event of the evening. Smith opened up the race for her U.S. squad with Karimi taking the second leg, Shattuck swimming third and Marks taking the anchor spot. There was a moment of suspense as the team waited to see what color their medal would be, but elation followed as they saw that they had won a silver medal.

“I think we train every day for this kind of moment. You know what you’re gonna get when you dive in. You know the work that you put in to get to this place so then to finish and know that you did your job but have to wait for the result. The suspense was unreal,” Shattuck said. “We’ve all been swimming for a number of years together. We’ve gotten the reps at the training center in Colorado Springs. The three of us have been out there. Abbas has come out for camps and you learn to trust one other.”

The medal was the first for Karimi who joined the U.S. team for the 2024 Paralympics after representing the Paralympic Refugee team in Tokyo. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without these amazing people and teammates. It’s an honor for me to represent the United States of America,” Karimi said. “I joined forces and I became stronger and faster. I have a big team behind me, my American family, my family, and everyone has really been supporting and praying for me. After 12 years, I finally won a Paralympic medal. It’s been a hell of a journey for me.”

Smith swam a strong opening leg and set her team up for success. “Tonight, just starting off the race, I just had the mentality of eyes forward, focus on yourself, stay in your own race. It paid off and these guys took the rest of it and absolutely killed it,” Smith said.

Shattuck competed in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM6 and the mixed 4x50-meter freestyle relay in Friday’s morning action before the relay. He fell just short of the 200-meter individual final, placing ninth with a time of 2:51.92.

First-time Paralympian Morgan Ray (St. Augustine, Florida) has dreamt of being a Paralympian since he was young, and he fulfilled that wish on Friday morning in front of a packed house. He finished 13th in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM6 with a time of 2:58.66. He will be back in the pool on Sunday for the men’s 100-meter breaststroke SB6.

Two-time Paralympian Summer Schmit (Stillwater, Minnesota) competed in her second race of the 2024 Paralympic Games, placing 10th in the 100-meter breaststroke SB9 and will close out her Paris 2024 competition in the 200-meter individual medley SM9 on Thursday.

Team USA Medals

Gia Pergolini – gold, women’s 100-meter backstroke S13

Elizabeth Marks – silver, women’s 200-meter individual medley SM6

Elizabeth Marks, Zach Shattuck, Abbas Karimi, Leanne Smith - silver, mixed 4x50-meter freestyle relay-20 points

Other Team USA Results:

Anastasia Pagonis – 4th, women’s 400-meter freestyle S11

Grace Nuhfer, 8th, women’s 100-meter backstroke S13

Zach Shattuck – 9th, men’s 200-meter individual medley SM6

Summer Schmit – 10th, women’s 100-meter breaststroke SB9

Morgan Ray – 13th, men’s 200-meter individual medley SM6

Pergolini Wins First U.S. Gold at Paris 2024 on a Three Medal Day

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