USA set to challenge China dominance in Los Angeles Paralympics, says swimming phenomenon
Ali Truwit, winner of two silvers in Paris one year after losing lower left leg in shark attack, believes home fans will inspire 2028 hosts
With two years until the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, USA swimmer Ali Truwit has said home support could help the Americans challenge China’s long-standing dominance, while reshaping public perceptions of disability.
Truwit, who won two silver medals in Paris a year after losing her lower left leg in a shark attack, saw firsthand how French fans lifted local athletes to new heights.
And while China has topped the medal table at every Summer Paralympics since 2004, including in Paris, where the US finished third behind Great Britain, Truwit said competing in California could help challenge that order.
“The excitement around a home Games is going to propel a lot of us to perform at a level higher than maybe we even know we have within us,” Truwit told Reuters.
“I am an advocate for the power of support in sport and in life. It’s enough to really move the dial.”
Competing with a heavily state-subsidised global sports programme like China’s requires direct investment, and while there has been progress in the US on that front in recent years, 57 per cent of Team USA athletes still earn less than US$50,000 annually, with many working multiple jobs to sustain their athletic careers.