The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are underway with 22 sports competitions to enjoy. For these athletes, participating in this major sporting event is a dream but also there’s no doubt they want to win as many medals as possible.
The Paralympic Games are an elite major sporting event where the best athletes compete. In order to participate in the Games, athletes must meet certain criteria and qualifying standards to be eligible, including being classified according to their disability.
Of course, among the many athletes that have been a part of the event, there’s a few that have been exceptionally good and above the rest. Here, check out who is the Paralympian with the most medals in the history of the Paralympic Games.
Who is the most decorated Paralympian athlete of all time?
The American swimmer Trischa Zorn is the most decorated Paralympian of all time with 55 medals in seven Paralympic Games throughout her swimming career. The breakdown of her medals is: 41 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze.
Trischa Zorn during the Sydney Paralympic Games (Getty)
Zorn was born on June 1, 1964 with aniridia, an eye disorder characterized by a complete or partial absence of the colored part of the eye (the iris). This may cause reduction in the sharpness of vision and increased sensitivity to light. Zorn was legally blind from birth.
Zorn was inducted into the Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2012. She first competed in the Paralympics at Arnhem 1980 and retired from swimming after the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. Her record will be hard to beat. The second most decorated athlete in the US is Jessica Long, who will be competing in Tokyo.
