Swimmer Ali Truvit is hoping for support from home fans at the 2028 Paralympics
American Paralympic swimmer Ali Truitt said that support from home fans could help the U.S. team challenge China’s long-standing dominance at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. The Japan Times reported this, citing Reuters.
Truitt won two silver medals at the Paris Paralympics a year after losing the lower part of her left leg in a shark attack. She said that in France, she saw how local fans helped athletes achieve better results. China has led the medal count at every Summer Paralympics since 2004, including in Paris, where the U.S. finished third behind China and Great Britain.
The swimmer noted that to compete with large, state-funded sports programs—such as China’s—American athletes need direct investment. According to data cited in the article, 57% of U.S. national team athletes earn less than $50,000 a year, and many of them juggle their athletic careers with multiple jobs. Paralympians also often face higher medical expenses and receive smaller prize money than Olympians and professional league athletes.
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The TruVitt Stronger Than You Think Foundation is launching an incentive fund for American swimmers. It will be unveiled at the Para Pan Pacific Championships, which will take place August 28–30 in Walnut, California. U.S. swimmers who place in the top spots will receive financial rewards, and a $10,000 bonus is available for setting a world record.
Truvit, who recently joined the LA28 Athletes’ Commission, called the Paralympics an important tool for changing perceptions of disability. Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, stated that top-level athletic performances can demonstrate the capabilities of people with disabilities, provided that barriers in education, employment, and public life are removed.
The 2028 Paralympics are expected to bring together a record 4,480 para-athletes across 23 sports. Paraclimbing will make its debut at the Games. According to a source, Truitt trains up to five hours a day to remain among the medal contenders.
