Mayflower Paralympian Julia Gaffney looks to make a big splash during 2024 Paris Games

MAYFLOWER, Ark. – One person to watch in this year’s Paralympic Games is Mayflower swimmer Julia Gaffney.

Paris will be a second once-in-a-lifetime trip for Gaffney, swimming for Team USA.

The completion is a tradition that dates back centuries, and while, the stories of the competitors all have their own unique twists, there is still a common thread. We celebrate our favorite triumphs and mourn the hardest losses, but no matter the outcome when the TV shuts off at the end of the day, these athletes still make us believe in miracles.

“Whatever dream you have, really hold fast to it and keeping believing in yourself because you can do it,” Julia Gaffney said in an interview with KARK in 2021.

Gaffney has been inspiring us all for years.

The now 24-year-old from Mayflower first appeared on our screens in 2017.

“I feel like I can do anything, and it makes me not feel disabled,” Gaffney said in a 2017 interview.

Julia was born without legs, but she never let that stop her from the fierce competition under the water.

“She always wanted to win and be fast,” Julia’s mom, Kristin Gaffney, said. “We always used to say if you can’t be first, you can’t be fast, why would you bother right?”

In 2017, the competitive swimmer made the roster for the U.S. Paralympic Team.

We’ve watched her break records, take home medals and compete on the world stage in Tokyo.

“I remember I was on the podium, and I grabbed [the medal], and I was like ‘oh’ I almost dropped it,” Gaffney said in a 2021 interview.

Her return home from Tokyo in 2021 was a whirlwind for the athlete and her parents, who suddenly became hometown celebrities.

“The mailman came to the door, knocked on the door, and I opened it, and he said, “Um, where are the medals?” Kristin Gaffney said.

Right now, Julia is in Colorado Springs training for her next competition.

“When you say Paris 2024, there’s just something about it. The feeling never goes away,” Julia’s father, Dan Gaffney, said.

It will be a second for Julia, but a first for her parents, Dan and Kristin.

In 2021, COVID-19 restrictions kept the couple from cheering on their daughter live from the stands.

“It’s still a little nerve-racking because, to us, it will still all be new,” Kristin Gaffney said.

Julia cemented her place in Paris, swimming the 200M IM and the 50M Butterfly for Team USA.

“I want her to be really satisfied with all the work she’s put in and be able to enjoy the moment,” Kristin Gaffney said.

Over the years, we’ve watched Julia grow into a Paralympian, cutting through the water and cutting off time.

Past the medals and awards, the girl from Mayflower makes us believe anything is possible with a little hard work.

“I think as a parent, there comes a point where it’s not so much about the winning, it’s about the character and the perseverance, and she’s just demonstrated so much of that,” Kristin Gaffney said.

The Paralympic Games begin Aug. 28. You can watch Julia swim on KARK on Aug. 31 and Sept. 7.

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