Trischa Zorn
Encyclopedia
Trischa Zorn, born June 1, 1964 in Orange, California
, is a United States swimmer. Blind from birth, she competes in Paralympic swimming (S12, SB12 and SM12 disability categories). She is, at present
, the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games
, having won 55 medals, of which 41 are gold. She took the Paralympic Oath for athletes at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
in Atlanta.
Zorn studied at the University of Nebraska, and, as of 2001, "teaches third and fourth graders with special needs in Indianapolis
".
She competed in the 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Paralympic Games. In the 1996 Games
in Atlanta, she won more medals than any other athlete: two gold, three silver and three bronze. She had also topped the individual medal table at the 1992 Games
in Barcelona
, with ten gold medals and two silver. She had won seven gold medals during her first Games in 1980
.
Following the Athens Games
in 2004, she had won 55 medals at the Paralympic Games
, more than any other athlete, of any nationality. Of those, 41 were gold medals, 9 were silver and 5 were bronze. After the Sydney Games
in 2000, she also held eight world records in her disability category (50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley, 400 m individual medley, 200 m breaststroke, 4×50 m medley relay, 4×50 m free relay).
On 1 January 2005, Zorn was one of eight athletes honoured during New Year celebrations in Times Square
in New York
. The other seven were Ian Thorpe
of Australia, Nadia Comăneci
of Romania
, George Weah
of Liberia
, Françoise Mbango Etone
of Cameroon
, Gao Min of China, Félix Sánchez
of the Dominican Republic
and Bart Conner
of the United States. The eight athletes were "centre stage during the festivities in the countdown leading up to ringing in the New Year".
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
, is a United States swimmer. Blind from birth, she competes in Paralympic swimming (S12, SB12 and SM12 disability categories). She is, at present
August 2008
August 2008 was the eighth month of the leap year. It began on a Friday and ended after 31 days on a Sunday.-References:...
, the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, having won 55 medals, of which 41 are gold. She took the Paralympic Oath for athletes at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
in Atlanta.
Zorn studied at the University of Nebraska, and, as of 2001, "teaches third and fourth graders with special needs in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
".
She competed in the 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Paralympic Games. In the 1996 Games
1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
in Atlanta, she won more medals than any other athlete: two gold, three silver and three bronze. She had also topped the individual medal table at the 1992 Games
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, with ten gold medals and two silver. She had won seven gold medals during her first Games in 1980
1980 Summer Paralympics
The 1980 Summer Paralympics were the sixth Paralympic Games. They were held in Papendal, close to the host city of Arnhem, Netherlands, from June 21 to 30, 1980.- Sports :...
.
Following the Athens Games
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
in 2004, she had won 55 medals at the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, more than any other athlete, of any nationality. Of those, 41 were gold medals, 9 were silver and 5 were bronze. After the Sydney Games
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in 2000, she also held eight world records in her disability category (50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley, 400 m individual medley, 200 m breaststroke, 4×50 m medley relay, 4×50 m free relay).
On 1 January 2005, Zorn was one of eight athletes honoured during New Year celebrations in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The other seven were Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...
of Australia, Nadia Comăneci
Nadia Comaneci
Nadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, George Weah
George Weah
George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah is a Liberian humanitarian and politician, and an ex-footballer. He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting...
of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Françoise Mbango Etone
Françoise Mbango Etone
Françoise Mbango Etone is a female track and field athlete, competing internationally for France, formerly of the Cameroon. She was a gold medalist in the triple jump at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She retained her title with an Olympic record distance of 15.39m at the Beijing...
of Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Gao Min of China, Félix Sánchez
Felix Sanchez
Félix Sánchez —nicknamed Super Felix, the Invincible and the Dictator— is a track and field athlete from New York City, United States who competes for The Dominican Republic...
of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Bart Conner
Bart Conner
Bart Wayne Conner is a former American gymnast who, as a member of the gold medal-winning men's gymnastics team at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games won an individual gold on the parallel bars...
of the United States. The eight athletes were "centre stage during the festivities in the countdown leading up to ringing in the New Year".
See also
- Athletes with most gold medals in one sport at the Paralympic Games
External links
- Medal record (up to and including the 2000 Paralympics), International Blind Sport Federation
- "Making a new splash", CNN, September 3, 2000
- Blinded by the Light, article by Bill Volckening, at aph.org. (Originally published in Swim. 20 (5), 18-20.)