Jessica Long is one of the most decorated athletes in the United States. The 29-year-old swimmer won four medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, bringing her total count to 28. For years, the games have given her the chance to compete at the highest level—and something to look forward to every four years.

“Since I was 12, when I won my first gold in Athens, I wanted people to know what the Paralympic Games were,” says Long, whose lower legs were amputated when she was a baby due to a congenital condition. “Each year the excitement and the build-up for the Paralympic Games has grown more and more. Here in Tokyo, this is one of my favorite Paralympics