Jiang Yuyan (born 2 November 2004) is a Chinese Paralympic swimmer who competes in the S6 disability class. She is the most decorated athlete in 2024 Summer Paralympics, winning 7 golds in total.[1]
Sport career
In 2018, Yuyan competed at the Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia, winning three gold medals in the 50 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle, and 50 m butterfly events, along with a silver medal in the 400 m freestyle event.[2]
She was one of the youngest swimmers to participate in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships where she won three gold medals and two bronze medals.[3] She won one of these gold medals in the women's 50m butterfly S6 event with a world record of 34.56.[4][5]
In 2021, Yuyan competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. She won 4 medals, securing two gold medals in the women's 400 m freestyle S6 and the women's 50m butterfly S6 event events, the silver medal in the women's 100 m backstroke S6 event, and the bronze medal in the women's 100 m freestyle S7 event.[6][3]
She competed as the youngest athlete in the delegation at the 2022 Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China, winning five individual gold medals, one individual bronze medal, and two gold medals in team events.[7] At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Yuyan set three world records and one Asian record, bringing home four golds and two silver medals.[7]
In 2024, Yuyan competed at the Summer Paralympics held in Paris, France, and she has been the most decorated athlete in the competition, winning 7 golds in total.[1] For her first title, she set a world record of 32.59 seconds in the 50m freestyle S6 event.[8] She secured her fourth gold by breaking another world record in the women's 100m freestyle S7 with a time of 1:09.68.[9] Yuyan secured her seventh and final gold medal at Paris 2024 setting a world record in the women's 100m backstroke S6 event, with a time of 1:19.44.[10]
Personal life
Jiang Yuyan was born on 2 November 2004 in Shaoxing, China.[3] She lost her right arm and leg after she was involved in a car accident when she was three or four years old.[11][9]
