Paralympic Champion Jessica Long Welcomes Twin Boys

Swimming's community is celebrating the arrival of twin boys for Paralympic champion swimmer Jessica Long and her husband Lucas Winters.

The couple shared the news on Instagram with photos of the new additions to their family. Long, 34, gave birth to the twin boys, Lyle Fyodor Winters and Rhodes Lev Winters, on August 10th.

Long and Winters first announced the news of her pregnancy and the fact that she was expecting twins in April. The twins are their first children, doubling the size of their family which also includes their dog, Goose.

Having met through mutual friends in 2015, Long and Winters got married in 2020 and will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary in October.

Long is one of the most decorated Paralympians in history, winning 31 medals over the course of six Paralympic Games. She made her debut at the Athens Paralympics in 2004 when she was just 12 years old.

| Medal Count | Athlete | | --- | --- | | 55 | Trischa Zorn | | 35 | Heinz Frei | | 31 | Jessica Long |

Long has won 18 Paralympic champion titles, 15 of which are gold medals, bringing her total to 31 medals. Her medal count makes her the third-most decorated Paralympian, male or female, of all-time.

Born with fibular hemimelia, Long had her legs amputated below the knees at 18 months old. She has also been involved in sports like gymnastics, basketball, ice skating, and running, among others.

A fellow athlete, Winters is a former soccer player and now coaches soccer at Loyola Blakefield in Maryland.

Following the Paris Games, Long shared that she plans to retire after the 2028 LA Paralympics, which would end her career with seven-straight Paralympic appearances.

Long's remarkable career and personal life continue to inspire the swimming community, and her family's growth is a testament to her strength and resilience.