Nanterre, France — Team USA swimmers came, saw, and conquered at Paris La Defense Arena on Friday evening.

The U.S. had swimmers racing in four different events. The U.S. brought home at minimum a silver medal in all of them.

Alexandra Truwit was the first U.S. athlete to race Friday in the women’s 100M backstroke S10. Truwit lost her foot and part of her leg two days after graduating from Yale in 2023 due to a shark attack. Barely a year later, she has two Paralympic medals to her name.

Truwit claimed silver in the women’s 400M freestyle S10 on Thursday. One day later, she added another, posting a 1:08.59 time in the backstroke.

“It’s the coolest feeling in the world,” exclaimed Truwit. “I never expected this is where I’d be a year ago, and to be able to represent my country is such a privilege and an honor and I don’t take it lightly, so I’m really excited that all the work I’ve put in mentally and physically is showing off and helping Team USA perform.”

Lizzi Smith and Christie Raleigh-Crossley followed Truwit in the women’s 100M butterfly S9. Smith posted a solid 1:09.32, good for sixth place. Raleigh-Crossley had another race for the ages in Paris.

Raleigh-Crossley entered Friday having broken two Paralympic records and one world record during the 2024 Games, with two silvers and a gold in tow. Make it three Paralympic records and two golds after she swam a 1:05.19, easily winning gold and breaking the Paralympic record.

“It feels awesome,” proclaimed Raleigh-Crossley. “I definitely didn’t know I could go that fast, so just really really excited, it was a fun swim.”

Leanne Smith is in the S3 class for para athletics, but she raced in the women’s 50M freestyle S4 race on Friday. That distinction did nothing to stop Smith from having a phenomenal race.

Smith raced the 50 meters in 40.03 seconds. Not only was that fast enough to win gold, but it broke the S3 world record in the event.

“I’m in a bit of shock right now,” said Smith. “I didn’t know until I swam over to the side of the pool and my coach was pulling me out and I thought he was kidding with me, I can’t see the scoreboard or any of it in the water, so I truly had no idea where I stood.”

Noah Jaffe’s race in the men’s 100M freestyle S8 was the nightcap. The event was a thriller in every sense of the word.

Jaffe was neck and neck with Australia’s Callum Simpson and Italy’s Alberto Amodeo. The trio touched the wall within just .07 seconds of each other. In the end, Simpson barely beat Jaffe for gold, while Jaffe barely beat Amodeo for silver.

“I wasn’t really sure where I was, I knew I was slightly behind,” explained Jaffe. “I was just trying to catch back up, it was definitely a really intense race.”

All in all, Team USA picked up two silver medals, two gold medals, a Paralympic record, and a world record on Friday night.

“We have such a strong team,” proclaimed Jaffe. “Going into the meet I wasn’t really sure where we would be but we had so many athletes step up and I’m really really proud to contribute to the Team USA medals.”