Page 5 - 2020 Winter CMTA Report

PARALYMPIC ATHLETE

Follow Jamal at
www.swimuphill.com/landing
or on Instagram at @SWIMUPHILL.

improvement because his legs Jamal’s goal is to win four me, I have to get out there and
weren’t functioning. Jamal finally gold medals at the Tokyo Para- help people. I want to be more in
began talking openly about his lympic Games in 2020. He also the teaching lane instead of just
CMT and now says he wishes hopes to be a contender for Paris the entertaining lane.”
he’d started sooner. “When we 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, when Jamal estimates that he has
confront the things that challenge the Paralympic Games will be held already taught hundreds of people
us, we find opportunities to in his own backyard. “It all comes in his community to swim. “When we
grow,” he says. back to legacy,” Hill said. “I think “You’d be amazed at how
Wong told Jamal that unless a that’s what my life is about—try- many people have this distinct confront the
cure for CMT could be found ing to do something that will fear of the water,” Hill said. “I things that
before the 2020 Olympics, he outlast me.” would even count a success as
should consider the Paralympics. Hill is also working towards a someone growing comfortable challenge us,
For Jamal, making the switch was much larger goal: He wants to enough to take a swim lesson we find
an emotional journey with many teach 1 million people to swim. with me.”
tears and a lot of prayers. He According to his website, roughly By filming video tutorials, opportunities
began competing in the Para- 360,000 people lost their lives to conducting outreach with to grow.”
lympics in fall 2018 and quickly drowning in 2016, and drowning Boys & Girls Clubs and growing
rose to #13 in the world in the ranks fifth on the Centers for Dis- his personal brand on social
50-meter freestyle. The experience ease Control’s list of the causes of media, Hill has already begun to
forced him to reconsider some of unintentional injury or death. He reach people outside of his home-
his preconceived notions. He real- founded Swim Up Hill in an town. “Chances are, I may not
ized that there was nothing to be attempt to lower the global personally teach that many people
ashamed of, that the Paralympics drowning rate. “My mission is to to swim,” Hill said. “But the
are just as competitive as the have an impact. I want to be beauty of the time that we live
Olympics and that Paralympic more than just an athlete,” the in is that this technology gives us
athletes are just as dedicated and 24-year-old says. “In order to the ability to reach the whole
driven as other athletes. build something that will outlast world.” h

WINTER 2020 THE CMTA REPORT 5