Medal Quest

Jessica Long: 'To be the best, you make sacrifices.'

Clip: Season 1 | 3m 23s

Swimmer Jessica Long won 3 gold medals at the Athens Paralympics at age 12. Then she won 4 gold medals, a silver and a bronze in Beijing at age 16, setting 3 new world records – and she still felt she’d failed. In this frank video, Long explains the pressures she felt as a teenager, and how she had to fall in love with swimming again.

Aired: 08/08/12 | Rating: NR

Funding for MEDAL QUEST is provided by Bruce C., Conner, Alex, and Lynn Bay Dayton, the Gordon and Llura Gund Foundation, No Limits Media, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS Viewers.

More Extras

• “Thank you, London”

  Clip: S1 | 3m 33s

• Two Sisters, One Race

  Clip: S1 | 3m 58s

• Paralympic Injuries

  Clip: S1 | 3m 21s

More Culture Shows

• Independent Lens

  Independent Lens is America’s home for independent documentary film.

• POV

  Independent filmmakers present unique stories and characters with a point of view.

• Local, USA

  Local, USA features fascinating stories of diverse people, curated around a single theme.

• Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March

  Explore the fight against Asian American hate following the March 2021 mass shootings.

• La Frontera with Pati Jinich

  Travel the U.S.-Mexico border with chef Pati Jinich to explore the region’s rich culture.

• America ReFramed

  Brings to life compelling stories illuminating the contours of our ever-changing country.