Hill intends to teach others how to swim, no matter the obstacles or barriers in their way.
Jamal Hill did not know he had a disability until it forced him to relearn how to move. Now, the swimmer is sharing his story as he prepares to make waves in this year’s Paris Paralympics.
The Paralympic medalist took home bronze in the 50-meter freestyle during the 2021 Tokyo Games. Now, he will build upon his legacy again for the S9 disability category. Hill was 10 when he discovered he had the Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder.
The degenerative nerve disease abruptly placed Hill in a paralytic state, leaving him hospitalized for days. It was unclear if he would ever walk again, let alone swim.
“Prior to that experience, I could run, jump, everything any relatively normal 10-year-old kid can,” Hill said in an interview with WBUR’s Here and Now. “I had to relearn how to walk. [I] also had to relearn how to work my hands, how to write, how to hold pencils, hold doorknobs. I retained 0% nerve capacity from my knees to the soles of my feet, and then from my elbows to my fingertips, 30% nerve capacity.”
However, determination and hard work persevered. Hill forged a new way of living for himself while still pursuing the pinnacle of athleticism. For the Paralympic athlete, who has 0% nerve capacity from his knees to his feet, training the parts of his body he can control has helped him reach the finish line in record time.
He described his swim technique to the publication, explaining how core strength is critical to the effort.
“Ultimately, any swimmer will tell you that you got to kick from the hips,” explained Hill. “That doesn’t change. So when I kick, I don’t feel it go all the way through the toe. I imagine a little bit more like a whipping sensation, just having some faith that it’s making it there, and it’ll get me across the pool.”
He added, “It’s all based on core strength. The legs and the arms are secondary levers. The core is everything. And I have a very strong core. That said, the arms and the legs help. And I don’t have 100% of either one.”
Despite the setbacks, Hill found a lane for himself to still accomplish his ambitions.
He added, “…the attitude that I was raised in — and really, I think that all Paralympians have — I think all people have who are really, again, like just committed to living the best life they have, regardless of the cards they were dealt is just that.”
He did not recognize his power or impact, however, until winning his first medal in the national championship. Now, Hill helps teach all youth, particularly those of diverse backgrounds, from race to disabilities, the life-saving skill of swimming.
His current mission is to teach a million people a year by 2028. The goal carries the same vigor and determination that first led him back to the pools despite the obstacles.
“You know, not just saying it as a pipe dream, but actually being held accountable and being challenged to believe in that on a daily basis, it’ll really get you some unbelievable places.”
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