Eagan's Mallory Weggemann celebrates more than just 'gold medal moments' at Paralympics

The easiest story to tell about Mallory Weggemann's triumphant Paralympic Games in Tokyo is built on numbers.

Nine years since she won her first gold medal at the 2012 London Games. Seven years removed from a devastating arm injury that led to disappointing results in Rio 2016 and surgery to remove muscles and a rib in 2017. Three medals (two gold, one silver) coming home to Eagan from Tokyo. Two new Paralympic records, a 7.34-second win in the SM7 200-meter individual medley final, a 0.64-second thrilling come-from-behind win in the S7 100-meter backstroke over Canada's Danielle Dorris. And a silver in the S7 50-meter butterfly, this time 1.31 seconds behind Dorris.

But in phone and email conversations with Weggemann from Tokyo, it's clear she has no interest in demarcations.

"You know at the end of the day it's like, 'Did I give it everything I had in the pool?' And if the answer is yes — and it always is because I know my body is showing up and giving me everything it has at the Games — then I can't be upset about it," Weggemann said. "Just showing up sometimes is the win. That's something that's a good reminder for all of us.

"We're not always going to have gold medal moments in life, but that doesn't mean we can't be proud of just the average Tuesday in life or the stepping stones that get us there. We can be proud in just how we choose to show up, just as much as we can in those gold medal moments."

That mind-set did not come easy. It was built out of internal doubt and frustration and supported by a community coming around her. Her family. Her coach Steve Van Dyne, who was the Eagan High School girls' swimming coach for 16 years. Her training partner Ashley Van Dyne, who is Steve's daughter and swims at the University of South Dakota.

"We have faced enormous amounts of adversity these past 18 months as a society and at the end of the day that is where we grow," Weggemann said. "That's where we discover our truth. That's where we find strength within and that's where we become the best version of ourselves.

"Sure, you could get frustrated, you could get down and you could get out. And has it been hard through the nine years? No doubt about it. Have I wanted to hang it up and say I'm done? 100 percent."

But she did not. And her acceptance of adversity provided a great come-from-behind moment at the Paralympic Games during the 100-meter backstroke.

When she hit the wall at 50 meters, Weggemann trailed Dorris by 0.62 seconds — more than a full body length. But as Dorris slowed just slightly in the final stretch, Weggemann started creeping into her lead. The final 15 meters found them exchanging lunging strokes to the wall with Weggemann touching 0.64 seconds ahead of Dorris, for a gold medal and a Paralympic record.

What looked like the heat of competition was really an internal quiet for Weggemann. There is no glancing in the backstroke. Just eyes looking skyward and personal thoughts.

"Those last 25 meters, what made the difference for me was I just let go," she said. "I swam with heart. I allowed the strength that I've gathered this whole journey to pull me through in that moment and to carry me forward. I knew I had my entire community.

"I went to this place where it was just me and my training partner racing and doing what I love most. That was so fun to kind of mentally stay in the race but also go to this place where I'm reminded, I've got this."

And now what she has she gets to bring home — away from a wonderful but unique Paralympic Games where her community couldn't join her.

"I don't think it will fully set in until I land back in Minnesota and am able to hug my husband and loved ones and share these [medals] with my coach and training team," said Weggemann, who will return home Saturday night. "Being able to see the very people who have showed up day in and day out and fought alongside me for this dream will be such a special moment."

And then, of course, it will be onto the next day. She knows her story is an ever-evolving one — including a glimpse at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

"It is pretty remarkable to see a nine-year dream finally come true," Weggemann, 32, said. "But now we have three years to Paris."

Or 155 pretty average Tuesdays, not that she'll be counting.