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The Legless Wonder But Zimi one day put his plan into actual practice. He succeeded in covering the distance of 147 miles between Albany and New York, unmindful of hunger, fatigue and the strong current coming from the opposite direction.
Zimi's achievement was unique because he had no legs. Both of his legs had been amputated in his childhood. He earned the reputation of being a long-distance swimmer on the strength of his two wrists. What an effort !
Swimmer Trischa Zorn holds ten world records which she sets in Sweden. She took part in eight individual events and two relay sports during the world championships for the Disabled and she established new records. When competing in these events, Zorn is classified in the B-2 category for those with 20/800 vision. Zorn has aniridia blindness, which means she is without irises, the portions of the eyes that regulate the amount of light absorbed. Though she can see the rough outlines of an object up to 20 feet away, she cannot see its features.
Blind since birth, Zorn bumped against the wall quite often while swimming but that did not matter. She now participates in half-marathons and ten-kilometre running. She loves horse ridding and water skiing. Challenges beacon her and she loves to accept them. She says, “... as an athlete, I think I can do what everyone else can do because I want to do it... or do it better. Some people are so amazed that I can swim and win, but just because you're handicapped doesn't mean you can't compete or do what the able-bodied can do."
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