Explainer | Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: who are the most successful Para athletes of all time?

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games begin on August 24 and excitement is reaching fever pitch after the emotional roller coaster of the recent Olympics in the Japanese capital. Ahead of these Paralympics – where Hong Kong will be sending 24 athletes to compete across eight sports – is a good time to ask who are the greatest Paralympians in the history of the competition. First of all, it is fair to ask what makes any athlete great, and the Paralympics is no different to the Olympics in the fact that medals are a huge indication. Beyond that triumph over adversity is often a measure of greatness for athletes but it is fair to say that every single Paralympian has a story deserving of that. Then there’s the cultural impact of athletes and again Paralympians have no shortage of that among their number. But let’s start our look at the greatest Summer Paralympians, with the most successful of them all. A look at the most decorated Paralympian of all time - Trischa Zorn's incredible career. #IPC30 pic.twitter.com/iSEz2EAHhq — Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) October 5, 2019 Trischa Zorn-Hudson – Para swimming The US swimmer is far and away the most successful Para athlete in history having won 55 medals at the Paralympic Games – a staggering 41 of them were gold. Zorn, who was blind since birth, even swept 12 golds from 12 events at the Seoul 1988 Games. She was the first visually impaired athlete to earn an NCAA Division 1 scholarship and competed in her first Paralympics in 1980. Zorn carried the US flag aged 41 at the closing ceremony of the 2004 Games in Athens after winning bronze, her last medal. She is honoured by USA Swimming in the Trischa L. Zorn Award, which is given annually to a leading para swimmer or team. #ThrowbackThursday to #Beijing2008 when Korea topped the shooting medals table, followed by Sweden when Jonas Jacobsson took home pic.twitter.com/iJ8mkkZR6Y — #ShootingParaSport #Tokyo2020 (@ShootingPara) March 30, 2017 Jonas Jacobsson – Para shooting Swedish shooting star Jacobsson has won 30 medals at the Paralympics, 17 of them gold. He has been competing at the Games since he was just 15 and won golds at nine consecutive Paralympics, with the last coming at London 2012. Jacobsson, who was born with paraplegia, also competed in wheelchair basketball for Sweden at the Seoul Games in 1988, when they finished sixth. The Swede took his shooting back to the court when he retired from sport shooting in 2017. Wheelchair fencer Yu urges Hong Kong fans to support Paralympic athletes Beatrice Hess – Para swimming The French swimmer is another star of the pool, winning 25 medals across a 20-year Paralympic Games career spanning Stoke Mandeville & New York 1984 and Athens 2004. Hess, who has cerebral palsy, won 20 golds. At the 2000 Games in Sydney she broke nine world records in the S5 classification. Jessica Long – Para swimming The only one on this list who is still competing, Long will be looking to add to her 23 medals in Tokyo this month. Born in Russia, Long was adopted by a family in the US, with the double amputee’s journey back to the land of her birth to meet her biological parents documented by NBC. She is also the only member of this list with a Super Bowl ad. Long has 12 golds at the Paralympic Games since making her debut as a 12-year-old at Athens 2004. Who are the Tokyo 2020 mascots Miraitowa and Someity? Reinhild Moeller – Para athletics The German has won medals at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics, having most of her success across several alpine skiing events where she won 19 of her 23 medals between 1980 and 2006. Nonetheless, the multi-sport maven excelled on the track too. At the 1984 and 1988 Paralympics she won three golds and a silver competing across the 100m, 200m and 400m. Moeller, who lost half of her left leg in a farm accident aged three, became the first Paralympics athlete to earn a US$1 million sponsorship deal, signing a 10-year agreement after winning four golds at Lillehammer in 1994. Tokyo Paralympics to be held without spectators – reports Michael Edgson – Para swimming The Canadian swimmer has 21 medals in the pool, coming in just three Paralympics between 1984 and 1992. Edgson, who is visually impaired, won a medal in all but one event that he competed individually during those three Games. Of his medal haul, 18 of them are golds. As we wait for the #Tokyo2020 Paralympic Games to begin in 8 days, I’m reminiscing on these great memories from #Atlanta1996… 25 years ago! A memorable time! #Throwback pic.twitter.com/Ce1AH1d5Pl — Chantal Petitclerc (@CPetitclerc) August 16, 2021 Chantal Petitclerc – wheelchair racing The Canadian won 32 medals at the Paralympic Games – 20 of them gold – in a career that spanned Barcelona 1992 to Beijing 2008. Petitclerc, who lost the use of her legs in an accident at age 13, dominated in the T54 category where she won five golds at both Athens 2004 and Beijing four years later. There are obviously many other athletes who have won multiple medals at Paralympic Games, including those who shone the brightest before the Paralympics and Olympics joined up properly in 1988.

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} US swimmer Trischa Zorn is far and away the most successful Paralympian in history Jessica Long is the only one of the most decorated Para athletes who will compete in Tokyo

US swimmer Trischa Zorn is far and away the most successful Paralympian in history

Jessica Long is the only one of the most decorated Para athletes who will compete in Tokyo