Press Releases Competitive Spirit Triumphs Over Loss of Limbs Read Full Story Reaching the Finishing Line Marks a Milestone Read Full Story Alisa Webb starts website to support other amputees Read Full Story Competitive Spirit Triumphs Over Loss of Limbs Jessica Long, a 14 year-old bilateral below-the-knee amputee from Baltimore, Maryland, is a U.S Paralympics Gold Medalist and World Record holder in swimming. From July 28 – 30, 2006, the young athlete used her custom hybrid prosthetic legs made for Rock Climbing at the O&P Extremity Games in Orlando, Florida, thanks to the suggestion of her prosthetist Jonas Seeberg, CPO of Real Life Prosthetics in Abingdon, Maryland. To participate in the competition, Jessica wore prosthetic legs, which are custom-designed, made and fitted by Jonas Seeberg, Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist at Real Life Prosthetics in Abingdon, Maryland. The legs are made of super-strong, ultra-light components, like titanium alloys, plastics, and carbon composites. Jessica tackled a 24-foot high rock wall in a timed competition. Although she had been rock climbing for only four months, she set her sights on placing in the competition. Her first climb took 51 seconds, but on her second attempt she cut her time to 31 seconds, placing second. “The climbing wall was transparent, so you could see what your competition was doing,” Jessica said. “That was an incentive to do better.” When not competing, Jessica enjoyed being a spectator and took in the skateboarding demonstrations and the opening ceremony skydiving team. Jessica is already planning to attend next year’s Extremity Games and has already been selected for the next international Paralympic Games in Beijing, China in 2008. In the meantime, she continues to train and compete in swimming around the globe. She recently participated in seven events at the World Championship Trials in San Antonio on August 11-13. To learn more about Jessica Long, visit her website at www.jessicalong.org.