It took six medals in Rio de Janeiro, but Baltimore Paralympic star Jessica Long captured gold Saturday in the women's SM8 200-meter individual medley to boost her career gold total to 13 and medal total to 23. Long won the race in 2 minutes, 40.23 seconds.
"Instant relief. It's been the longest 10 days. It's the last race and I finished with a gold," Long said. "There's been no pressure; it's just I wanted to leave with a gold."
Earlier in the games, she earned silver in the 100 breaststroke, 400 freestyle and 4x100 relay, and bronze in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. She is the second-most-decorated Paralympian in U.S. history.
More Paralympic swimming: Loyola Maryland's Alyssa Gialamas finished sixth in the women's S5 50 backstroke final with a time of 47.95 seconds Friday.
Paralympic track and field: Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair racer from Clarksville who attended Atholton, won the T54 800 in 1 minute, 44.73 seconds Saturday. "This is my fourth gold medal. In London, I got three. It's just been an amazing games. I came home with silver in the 100, then gold from there on out. It's been quite an amazing journey." She'd have won another gold if Team USA hadn't been disqualified in the women's T53/54 4x400 relay Thursday. "It happens. We're not really sure what happened," she said. "But you know what, that's part of it, right?" McFadden will complete the games today in her specialty, the marathon.
Triathlon: Olympian Katie Zaferes, who grew up in Hampstead and attended North Carroll, finished 13th at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Cozumel in Mexico. Zaferes was the third American finisher, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 59 seconds. Flora Duffy of Bermuda won the race in 1:57:59. Zaferes ended her season ranked No. 4, improving one spot on her final ranking from 2015.