PARIS, France — Team USA captured its first gold of the 2024 Paralympics on Friday, thanks to a Georgia para swimmer.
Atlanta native Gia Pergolini won the 100m backstroke S13 with a time of 1:04.93, helping the USA retain its back-to-back title.
The 20-year-old won gold in the same event back in 2021 at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Pergolini won silver in the women's 50m freestyle S13 on Monday.
More about Gia Pergolini - online bio
Georgia connection: From Atlanta; St. Francis High in Alpharetta alum Country: USA
More about this athlete: The 20-year-old won gold in the 100m backstroke S13 at the Tokyo Paralympics. She won gold in the same event at the 2022 World Championships and added a gold then in the 100m freestyle S13 as well.
Her 100m backstroke time of 1:04.64 in the final at the Tokyo Games set -- and still stands -- as a world record.
Pergolini began focusing on her swimming when she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a degenerative muscular condition of the eyes that "typically causes vision loss during childhood or adolescence," according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). It's estimated to occur in about 1 in 8-10,000 people, according to the NEI.
"It's so surreal, I've been dreaming about this moment the last five years and seeing my dream come true... it's just crazy seeing it all play out and seeing all the hard work that you've done pay off," Pergolini said after her gold medal, world record swim in 2021.
