Elizabeth Marks

Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marks (born August 7, 1990) is an American Paralympic swimmer who specializes in the 100m breaststroke distance.

For the Australian entomologist, see Elizabeth Nesta Marks.

Elizabeth Marks
Marks in 2016
Personal information
Nickname(s)Ellie
Born (1990-08-07) August 7, 1990
Prescott Valley, Arizona, U.S.
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight115 lb (52 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing the  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio 100 m breaststroke SB7
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 100 m backstroke S6
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo 50 m freestyle S6
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio 4×100 m medley 34pts
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 50 m butterfly S6

Early life

Marks was born to James Marks, a U.S. Marine veteran who served during the Vietnam War.[1] She graduated high school at age 16 before attending community colleges in Arizona.[2]

Marks joined the U.S. Army in July 2008 aged 17 and earned the military occupational specialty 68W, Health Care Specialist. While deployed in Iraq in 2010 she suffered bilateral hip injuries that left her disabled; she has a tattoo over most of her right leg.

Marks, then known by her married name Elizabeth Wasil, recovered from her injuries, first in Germany,[2] then at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.[1]

While it initially appeared that Marks could be declared unfit for duty by Army medics, she set a goal to become fit for duty. She began swimming as way to complete additional physical therapy and cardio while at BAMC and obtained the fit for duty classification on July 3, 2012.[1]

Career

Marks began competing in swimming competitions shortly after joining the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program in July 2012.[1]

Marks competes at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.

In 2014, during the 2014 Invictus Games, she contracted a severe respiratory infection, which forced doctors at Papworth Hospital, United Kingdom to place her in a medically induced coma for one month.[3] The infection left Marks with a reduced lung capacity and prolonged exercise can affect her vision.[2]

Marks has won a gold medal at the 2015 Military World Games and four gold medals at the 2016 Invictus Games. After the ceremony, she privately asked Prince Harry, who had awarded her her Gold Medals, if he could present one of her Invictus gold medals to the Doctors and Nurses of Papworth Hospital who had saved her life. She qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics by clocking a time of 1:28.54 at the U.S. trials, which was only 0.01 seconds short of the world record.[3] She won an individual gold and a relay bronze medal at the Paralympics.[4]

In June 2021 the US announced the 34 Paralympic swimmers who would be going to the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. The women's team was Marks, Jessica Long, McKenzie Coan, Rebecca Meyers and Mallory Weggemann.[5]

On April 14, 2022, Marks was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.[6] On April 29, 2023, Marks was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.[7]

Personal life

Marks is married to former US Army Explosive Ordnance Dispoal soldier, Mason Heibel.[8]

Recognition

In 2016, Marks received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2016 ESPY Awards, and, as of 2022 the only active-duty soldier to receive the award.[9][10]

In 2017, Marks was inducted into the U.S. Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame.[11]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elizabeth Marks.
  1. Medley, Joe (December 16, 2016). "A Pool Life". Sports. The Anniston Star. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Hipps, Tim (June 6, 2021). "Para-swimmer Soldier exemplifies resilience, trains for Paralympics". The Baltimore Sun. IMCOM Public Affairs. p. E5 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Elizabeth Marks". armymwr.com.
  4. "Elizabeth Marks". Rio2016.com. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016.
  5. Houston, Michael (June 22, 2021). "United States name 34 swimmers on Tokyo 2020 Paralympic team". inside the games. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. Gowdy, Kristen (April 14, 2022). "U.S. Paralympics Swimming Nominates 25 athletes to World Championship Roster". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  7. Overend, Riley (April 29, 2023). "U.S. Paralympics Swimming Selects 22 (Including Just 6 Men) for 2023 Worlds Roster". swimswam.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. Walker, Danny; Webb, Sam (May 13, 2016). "Who is Elizabeth Marks, the US soldier who charmed Prince Harry". Mirror. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  9. Cingari Christie, Jennifer (June 28, 2016). "U.S. Army Sgt. Elizabeth Marks to Receive Pat Tillman Award for Service at The 2016 ESPYS". ESPN Press Room U.S. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  10. From Facebook post by the Gary Sinese Foundation on 2022-08-03. "On #WarriorWednesday, we recognize U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marks. Elizabeth joined the Army in 2008, shortly after her 17th birthday, continuing a family legacy of military service. While on assignment in Iraq as a combat medic, she sustained bilateral hip injuries. It wasn’t until 2012, almost two years after the injury while recovering and trying to be found “fit for duty,” when she discovered an unrealized gift for competitive swimming. Six months later, she was accepted into the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) and was found fit for duty as a Combat Medic. Elizabeth has the distinction of being the Army’s first Paralympic swimmer and competed at the 2016 Invictus Games. She is also the first active-duty soldier to be awarded an ESPY Pat Tillman Award.". - https://www.facebook.com/100050275878285/posts/pfbid0VVn3LsEyHEB3CTkjbX8aeVeQi9vFSYZ4vdrKFowSjy8xYfCsPrk1HkfiHAjYHzbKl/?d=n
  11. "2017 Hall of Fame Inductees – Army Women's Foundation". Retrieved June 28, 2021.
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