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Hoosier Paralympic Swimmer Heads To Rio Games

Beginning this week, Paralympians will have their chance to compete for medals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil … including some Hoosier athletes with physical challenges.

Elizabeth Smith of Muncie didn't the make the Paralympic USA team in 2012. But when the trials for the Rio games began, she knew she would make it this time. Her goal is to be the best swimmer in her stroke.

"Turns out there are a lot of people that swim faster than me with one hand," Smith says. "So then once I figured that out, it was a big goal of mine – so like, just, no one should be able to do better with one hand than I do."

Smith is classified as an S9/SB9 swimmer - meaning she has a joint restriction and the loss of one hand. Smith was born and raised in Muncie.

Once she realized her potential, Smith moved to train in Riverview, Florida. Now living in Baltimore, she trains at Loyola University with other potential Olympians.

Smith has broken, and currently holds, 3 American Paralympic long-course records - the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly. She also finished second in the 100m butterfly at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland this past October.

Smith says there are a few differences between the typical swim meet and a Paralympic swim meet.

"Um, like at para-meets, there's a lot of like aids on the deck, and then also it's not every day that you see arms and legs out on the pool deck."

There are also service dogs wandering the deck, waiting for their designated swimmer to emerge from the water.

Smith's sister, Erin, is often poolside, watching her compete. She says the family follows Smith as often as they can to watch her compete.

"I try to go to the most that I can. I just want to say how proud I am, you know, she's worked so hard and, just being the younger sister and always looking up to her, it makes me so happy that she's gone this far, and hopefully get some gold medals."

Erin will travel to Rio to see her sister compete in the 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, and 100m freestyle.

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