Rising to Paralympic stardom, Lizzi Smith took the world by surprise—herself included. As a quiet girl from Muncie, Indiana, she never could have imagined that swimming would take her across the globe and onto podiums. Born with amniotic band syndrome, which left her without a left hand, Lizzi’s story is not just about athletic achievement but about her relentless drive and refusal to let her disability define her. What makes Lizzi truly inspiring isn’t her medals but her fierce determination to push past limits, proving that what makes you different can also make you extraordinary.
Lizzi was raised in a way that didn’t even acknowledge her disability. “We never used the word ‘disability’ in my house,” she says with a laugh. “I didn’t even know it fell under that category.” It wasn’t until Lizzi went to school that she began to realize she was different. The stares and assumptions that she couldn’t do certain things hit her all at once. “In gym class, they’d make me hula hoop while the other kids were jumping rope,” she remembers. “But then I’d go home and jump rope for hours.”
Discovering Power in the Pool
Lizzi’s inner fire to prove everyone wrong began to burn from that early age. And when she discovered swimming at seven years old, that fire found the perfect outlet. “Swimming was the first place where I didn’t feel like everyone was watching me,” she recalls. “It was just me and the water. No one cared about my arm, and I could just focus on what my body could do.” What her body could do, it turns out, was nothing short of remarkable.
While many swimmers begin formal training with the dream of Olympic medals between the ages of six and nine, Lizzi didn’t even know the Paralympics existed until she was 12. She was watching the Disney Channel and saw a segment called “Check This Kid Out” that featured a swimmer with both legs amputated who was training for the Beijing Paralympics. “I was blown away,” Lizzi says. “It was the first time I saw someone who looked like me doing something big. And it clicked—I realized I could do this.”
What followed was a whirlwind. Lizzi dove into research, learning about Paralympic records, training schedules and the possibility of competing internationally. Before long, she was racing at her first Paralympic meet in Cincinnati. “They tracked me down after my first race and said, ‘We need to get you classified. There’s a meet in the Netherlands,’” she recalls, laughing. “I was starstruck—like, wait, I can travel the world doing this?”
The Road to Rio
Lizzi’s rise in the swimming world was as fast as her times in the pool. She was 15 when she narrowly missed making Team USA for the 2012 London Paralympics by a few tenths of a second. Heartbroken but undeterred, she pushed harder. She made the U.S. National Team the following year and started competing internationally. By the time she made her first Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016, a then 20-year-old Lizzi was a force to be reckoned with.
But her road to success wasn’t without its setbacks. At Rio, in her best event, the 100m butterfly, she missed a bronze medal by a mere hundredth of a second, finishing fourth. “It was absolutely devastating,” she admits. “We always joke that fourth is the worst—you’re so close, but you walk away empty-handed.” Yet, true to form, Lizzi didn’t stay down for long. “We have a five-minute rule on our team,” she explains. “You get five minutes to be as upset as you want—cry, scream, whatever you need to do. But then you come back, and you’re ready to go.”
And Lizzi returned, earning silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay and bronze in the 4x100m medley relay later that night. Despite the medals, it took her years to fully appreciate her success that night. “At the moment, I was so focused on that fourth-place finish that I brushed off the fact that I had just achieved a lifelong dream,” she reflects. “But I’ve learned that medals aren’t the whole story. The journey is the story.”
Lizzi’s journey is a rich one—one that’s about more than just athletic achievements. Her story is about breaking barriers, pushing past what others think is possible and embracing the very thing that sets her apart. “For so long, I tried to hide my arm,” she says. “But swimming changed that for me. When I walked out to the blocks at meets, I kind of loved seeing people’s reactions—like, ‘Oh, she’s missing a hand. She can’t be that fast.’ And then I’d go out and beat them.”
Finding Solace in the Water
This bold spirit has carried Lizzi through some of her most challenging moments. After the 2016 Paralympics, she took a year and a half off, feeling drained and unsure if she wanted to continue—a common sentiment from top-level athletes. “I was heartbroken by the sport,” she admits. “It’s demanding, and it doesn’t always feel fair. You put in all this work, and sometimes the outcome just isn’t what you hoped.” During that break, Lizzi took time to explore new places and new passions.
She road-tripped across the U.S., spent time in San Francisco teaching swim lessons and began to see the sport from a new perspective. “I was teaching adults who were terrified of the water,” she says. “Watching them face their fears reminded me how far I’ve come and how much swimming has given me.”
Lizzi continued to train and prepare for the next competition. Now, with a fresh outlook on the sport she held so dear, she slayed at her next competition at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships. She took silver in the 4x100m freestyle and the 4x100m medley, then took bronze in the 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke. After that, she competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics winning silver in the 100m butterfly. Then went on to win silver at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay.
Her success came to an abrupt stop at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. During this race, she started feeling her anxiety creep in uncontrollably, and her performance unfortunately reflected that. She knew this was a sign that it was time to reevaluate her approach to swimming. It was time for another hiatus.
An Escape to the Ocean
Her second journey of self-discovery led her to Hawaii’s vast, calming waters. After missing the podium in 2023, Lizzi had once again found herself at an impasse, feeling disconnected from the sport she loved. Yearning for a deeper relationship with the water—she set out to study the relationship that the Hawaiian locals have with it in the hopes of finding her own reconnection. “I didn’t know quite how scared of open water I was until I did my first swim in Hawaii!” Lizzi admits. “While swimming in the ocean I noticed my body had a very similar physical reaction to swimming in open water as it did before racing. My heart would be racing, and I would get so tense with panic. I thought that if I could conquer my fear of the open water, that could also help me with my race anxiety.”
Surrounded by the island’s culture, where the ocean is sacred, Lizzi began to conquer her anxieties. Locals encouraged her to focus on her surroundings and trust the “aunties and uncles” swimming alongside her. In Hawaii, the terms “aunties and uncles” go beyond family ties and are used to show respect, affection and appreciation for elders in the community. This practice reflects Hawaii’s strong sense of community, or “aloha spirit,” where people are connected. “Aunties and uncles” serve as mentors, sharing wisdom and guidance with younger generations and helping to pass down important traditions and values.
“Knowing the ‘aunties and uncles’ were out there, I felt safe. Like if anything happened, they’d help.” This experience not only helped Lizzi regain her connection with the water, but it also reinforced the importance of community and trusting those who support you. This time away from competition provided Lizzi with a newfound connection to water, filling her with a renewed sense of purpose.
Mentoring the Next Generation of Champions
When she returned to the pool, she was more determined than ever—not just to win medals but to inspire others along the way. As a mentor and oceanic “auntie” to younger athletes, she’s passionate about helping them navigate the challenges she faces. “I didn’t know who to talk to when I felt different,” she says. “So now I try to be that person for others. I want them to know it’s okay to struggle, and it’s okay to ask for help.”
Today, Lizzi continues to train, compete and grow both in and out of the pool. At 28, she’s already a Paralympic veteran, gearing up for what’s next. Her recent experience in the 2024 Paris Paralympics was another reminder of the unpredictability of sports. She did not medal in Paris, but she did place sixth in the 100m butterfly and eighth in the 100m backstroke. Despite her disappointment, Lizzi didn’t miss a beat in her self-confidence. “Paris was hard,” she admits. “I felt the pressure of the moment. The Paralympic movement has grown so much, and with that comes more eyes, more expectations.” Through the challenges, Lizzi remains grounded. “At this point in my career, I’ve learned it’s not about one race or medal. It’s about the bigger picture.”
Creating a Legacy In & Out of the Pool
Off of the pool deck, Lizzi loves embracing her creative side by diving into graphic design, cake decorating and even punch needle embroidery. “I love creating things,” she says with a smile. “If there is any opportunity to create something, I love it.”
But her passion extends far beyond her hobbies. Lizzi is also deeply committed to advocating for the next generation of Paralympic athletes, working with brands to ensure greater visibility and opportunities. “The things that make us different are often the things that connect us the most,” she reflects. “Everyone has something they feel makes them imperfect, but that’s where the magic happens. That’s where we grow.”
As she reflects on her journey, Lizzi is clear on one thing: her younger self would be proud. “I think she’d think I’m pretty cool,” she laughs. “I never lost that drive. I stayed hungry, and I didn’t let go.”
For Lizzi Smith, the road ahead is full of possibility. Whether in the pool, mentoring young athletes or speaking on stages about her story, she’s committed to one thing—living life with purpose and using her platform to inspire others to embrace what makes them unique. And if her journey so far is any indication, there’s no limit to what she’ll do next.
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