Jessica Long swims during the women's 200-meter individual medley SM8 at the IPC Swimming World Championships at Parc Jean Drapeau on Aug. 13, 2013 in Montreal, Quebec.
Five For Friday: Pan American Games
Three-time Paralympian Jessica Long won gold medals in the first three days of the IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and two-time Paralympian Cortney Jordan won two golds.
Long and Jordan are among 25 U.S. athletes who led Team USA’s strong start at the world championships, which continue through Sunday. The United States totaled eight gold medals, one silver and four bronze through the first three days.
Nearly 600 athletes from more than 60 nations are competing. Sixteen of the 25 U.S. swimmers competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and/or Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
Friday’s competition will include the men’s 50-meter freestyle S5 and a battle between two-time Paralympian Roy Perkins of the United States and 17-time world champion Daniel Dias of Brazil. Dias came out on top in Thursday's 50 butterfly.
Long, a 12-time Paralympic gold medalist, has been the star for Team USA so far, winning the 100 butterfly S2 on Monday, the 100 breaststroke SB7 on Tuesday and the 200 IM SM8 in a dramatic comeback finish on Wednesday. She took silver in Thursday's 100 freestyle S8. Meanwhile, Jordan pushed her career world championships medal count to 18 with a win Wednesday in the women’s 400-meter freestyle S7 and a bronze medal Thursday in the 200 IM SM7.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to be a good leader for Team USA and set the tone off right every day,” Jordan said.
Rebecca Meyers, a silver medalist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, broke the world records in winning the women’s 200-meter IM and 400-meter freestyle S13 races.
Colleen Young, a 2012 Paralympian who won two bronze medals earlier this week, will go after another podium finish in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke Friday.
Other events coming up include the men’s and women’s 100 freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke in several different classes Saturday, and men’s and women’s 100 freestyle S6, and men’s and women’s 50 freestyle S6 and S7 Sunday.
In addition to Perkins, London 2012 Paralympic champion Brad Snyder and three-time Paralympic medalist Tucker Dupree are among the U.S. men’s swimmers. Snyder won a pair of gold medals this week and Dupree won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke S12.
Webcast: USParalympics.org
Paul D. Bowker is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.