Hall of Fame

Trischa Zorn-Hudson

Swimming

Paralympian in Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games, New York 1984 Paralympic Games, Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Athens 2004 Paralympic Games

Born:
June 1, 1964
Birthplace:
Orange, California
College:
University of Nebraska,
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis,
IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law

hall of fame

Trischa Zorn-Hudson

Swimming

Paralympian in Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games, New York 1984 Paralympic Games, Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Athens 2004 Paralympic Games

Born:
June 1, 1964
Birthplace:
Orange, California
College:
University of Nebraska,
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis,
IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Swimmer Trischa Zorn-Hudson is the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games, having won 55 medals, including 41 gold medals, over seven Paralympics.
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Swimmer Trischa Zorn-Hudson is the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games, having won 55 medals, including 41 gold medals, over seven Paralympics.

Zorn, who was born with a genetic eye condition that left her blind, first competed in the Paralympics at Arnhem 1980. Just 16, she won seven gold medals. She won six more gold medals at New York 1984 and continued on from there.

Zorn became the first visually-impaired athlete to earn an NCAA Division I scholarship, becoming a four-time All-American backstroker at the University of Nebraska. USA Swimming created the Trischa L. Zorn Award for a swimmer or relay team with a disability for outstanding performance and excellence.

But while Zorn stood atop the podium on so many occasions, it is a bronze medal finish that she called her most memorable finish. Her mother passed away from breast cancer in June 2004 as Zorn trained for the seventh and final Paralympic Games in Athens later that summer. Zorn won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke.

“She had always attended all my competitions and it was hard to know she was not going to be there,” said Zorn, who carried the American flag at the Closing Ceremony that year. “It was a tribute to my mom.

Zorn is as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She was inducted into the International Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Trischa Zorn-Hudson was inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2022.

MEDAL RESULTS
1980Arnhem100m backstroke BGold
1980Arnhem100m butterfly BGold
1980Arnhem100m freestyle BGold
1980Arnhem200m individual medley BGold
1980Arnhem400m individual medley BGold
1980Arnhem4x100m freestyle relay A-BGold
1980Arnhem4x100m medley relay A-BGold
1984New York100m backstroke B2Gold
1984New York100m butterfly B2Gold
1984New York100m freestyle B2Gold
1984New York200m individual medley B2Gold
1984New York400m individual medley B2Gold
1984New York4x100m medley relay B1-B3Gold
1988Seoul50m breaststroke B2Gold
1988Seoul50m freestyle B2Gold
1988Seoul100m backstroke B2Gold
1988Seoul100m breaststroke B2Gold
1988Seoul100m butterfly B2Gold
1988Seoul100m freestyle B2Gold
1988Seoul200m breaststroke B2Gold
1988Seoul200m individual medley B2Gold
1988Seoul400m freestyle B2Gold
1988Seoul400m individual medley B2Gold
1988Seoul4x100m freestyle relay B1-B3Gold
1988Seoul4x100m medley relay B1-B3Gold
1992Barcelona50m freestyle B2Gold
1992Barcelona100m backstroke B2Gold
1992Barcelona100m breaststroke B1-B2Gold
1992Barcelona100m freestyle B2Gold
1992Barcelona200m backstroke B1-B2Gold
1992Barcelona200m breaststroke B1-B3Gold
1992Barcelona200m individual medley B2Gold
1992Barcelona400m individual medley B1-B3Gold
1992Barcelona4x100m freestyle relay B1-B3Gold
1992Barcelona4x100m medley relay B1-B3Gold
1996Atlanta100m backstroke B2Gold
1996Atlanta200m individual medley B2Gold
1984New York4x100m freestyle relay B1-B3Silver
1992Barcelona100m butterfly B2-B3Silver
1992Barcelona400m freestyle B2-B3Silver
1996Atlanta50m freestyle B2Silver
1996Atlanta400m freestyle B2Silver
1996Atlanta4×100m medley relay B1-B3Silver
2000Sydney100m backstroke S12Silver
2000Sydney100m breaststroke SB12Silver
2000Sydney100m butterfly S12Silver
2000Sydney200m individual medley SM12Silver
1996Atlanta100m breaststroke B2Bronze
1996Atlanta100m freestyle B2Bronze
1996Atlanta4×100m freestyle B1-3Bronze
2000Sydney50m breaststroke S12Bronze
2004Athens100m backstroke S12Bronze

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