Rebecca Meyers takes 2018 Trischa L. Zorn Award

United States’ three-time Paralympic champion Rebecca Meyers was named USA Swimming 2018 Athlete of the Year in Para swimming and will receive the Trischa L. Zorn Award for the second time in her career.

The 23-year-old took was awarded for her five gold medals at this year’s Para Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Cairns, Australia.

USA Swimming made the announcement on Saturday (29 September) at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention in Jacksonville, Florida.

“So grateful to be honoured with the [Trisha L. Zorn] award”

Meyers had already won the prize in 2016 after taking three gold medals and one silver at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“Thank you USA Swimming for honouring me with this year’s Trisha L. Zorn Award,” Meyers said on social media following the announcement.

“So grateful to be honoured with this award and the opportunity to represent Team USA in Para swimming worldwide,” added the swimmer posting a picture with her Instagram-famous guide dog Birdie.

Meyers was born with a rare disorder called Usher syndrome and has been deaf all her life. Because of the syndrome, she has also developed a vision impairment.

USA Swimming’s prize for disabled athletes is named after the most awarded Paralympic swimmer ever. Trischa Zorn won 32 gold medals and a total of 46 medals in seven Games (Arnhem 1980 to Athens 2004).

The 2018 USA Swimming awards also saw Olympic champion Katie Ledecky named Athlete of the Year for the fifth-time joining Olympic legend Michael Phelps as the only five-time winners.

The 13-time Paralympic champion Jessica Long is the number one among Para swimmers with four Trischa L. Zorn awards to her name.