Swimmer Jessica Lengthy made a severe splash at her Paralympic debut on the 2004 Athens video games, successful three gold medals on the age of 12. In the present day, the 32-year-old will compete in her sixth Paralympic Video games in Paris with 29 medals underneath her belt, making her one of the crucial embellished and high-profile Paralympians to this point.
Lengthy can also be a speaker, creator (of a kids’s e book and the brand new Past The Floor: A Gold Medalist’s Information To Discovering And Loving Your self), and has appeared in nationwide advert campaigns for the likes of Therabody and Skims. Through the 2021 Superbowl, Toyota aired a shifting (learn: sob-inducing) advert that tells the story of Lengthy’s adoption from Siberia, double amputation of her decrease legs, and journey to changing into a swimmer. She doesn’t take the visibility evenly.
“I need the Paralympics swimming motion to develop much more than it has, and I hold pondering, if not me, then who else will push the motion ahead?” Lengthy says.
“I hold pondering, if not me, then who else will push the motion ahead?”
Particularly, she desires extra primetime airtime for the Paralympics, elevated stipends, and for the Staff USA Paralympic trials to be held alongside Olympic trials. She acknowledges the beneficial properties Paralympians have achieved currently, together with large sponsorships in addition to getting equal pay for medals to Olympic athletes (a change as of the Tokyo Olympics), however nonetheless feels the Paralympic video games and athletes have a methods to go to get the popularity they deserve.
“That is type of been my hope since I used to be somewhat woman, that individuals know what the Paralympics are,” Lengthy says. “The phrase ‘para’ means ‘parallel’ to the Olympic Video games. We’re alongside the Olympics, and it is a number of the most superb and unbelievable tales and fights. I do not suppose there’s anybody who wouldn’t fall in love with the Paralympics.”
Combating for visibility is not any small feat, and to assist obtain that purpose for herself and future generations, Lengthy is aware of she must be vocal on the world stage—and within the pool as a competitor, too. What permits her to do all of it?
“My wellness piece is my secret weapon,” Lengthy says. “I can practice, we’re all swimming, however what are we doing exterior of the pool that issues?”
1. She prioritizes muscle restoration
Within the mid 2010s, Lengthy was nervous she was not going to have the ability to proceed coaching with the depth she wanted as a result of the muscle pressure on her higher physique was too nice.
“As an amputee, I am solely utilizing my arms,” Lengthy says. She felt her “solely hope” to proceed pushing was to check out the percussive massaging machine Theragun. Positive sufficient, she was signed to certainly one of their authentic advert campaigns, and her endorsement was private.
“Theragun and Therabody have truly been life altering,” Lengthy says. “I’d not nonetheless be right here if it wasn’t for [the Theragun].”
2. She loves magnesium for sleep
Lengthy calls herself a “magnesium woman,” appreciating how she feels magnesium dietary supplements have an effect on the standard of her sleep. “At any time when I take magnesium, it is most likely the deepest sleep I’ve,” Lengthy says. “I discover such a distinction.”
Taking magnesium for sleep will help promote rest. The nutrient will help calm the central nervous system, which may result in falling asleep quicker and the next high quality of sleep. Lengthy takes a Usana complement (Usana is certainly one of her sponsors), however you may also discover magnesium in abundance in meals like avocado, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
3. She goes on “me dates”
Relating to psychological rejuvenation, lengthy likes to deal with herself with the issues she actually enjoys, on what she calls “me dates.”
“I like taking my Epsom salt baths, my every thing showers, simply to spend a while on myself,” Lengthy says. “It is possibly me getting espresso after coaching or getting my nails accomplished or going procuring or simply getting some enjoyable make-up at Sephora. I like make-up. It’s about taking good care of myself mentally, but additionally simply investing time in myself, might be one of the simplest ways to explain [me dates].”
Placing on make-up, espresso, studying, and procuring are sometimes on the “me date” agenda, however Lengthy says the actions can fluctuate. Nonetheless, the intention of spending time with herself doing the issues she actually enjoys stays the identical. And, it seems, shifting gently exterior of the pool is a part of what lets her go so quick within it.
“Life strikes at such a quick tempo, however each now and again I understand like, ‘Oh my gosh, decelerate,’” Lengthy says. “You must handle your self first earlier than you can provide to others.”
