Raleigh Paralympian is one to watch in the pool

ONE OF THE NEXT OLYMPIC AND

PARALYMPIC GAMES IN LOS ANGELES

WILL HAPPEN IN 2028.

THE PARALYMPIC GAMES ARE

OFFICIALLY UNDER WAY.

THEY'LL RUN THROUGH SEPTEMBER

5th.

IF YOU MISSED THE OPENING

CEREMONY, YOU CAN WATCH IT

AGAIN TONIGHT, ON NBC SN.

AT 7:00.

NBC'S COVERAGE WILL ALSO AIR ON

WRAL IN PRIMETIME THAT'S THE

PARALYMPICS FIRST.

>>> A SWIMMER FROM RALEIGH IS

ON HER WAY TO MAKING WAVES

AGAIN IN THE PARALYMPICS.

21-YEAR-OLD HANNAH ASSEN WON

TWO BRONZE MEDALS IN 2016.

AND THIS YEAR, SHE'S REACHING

FOR THE GOLD.

SHE TOLD WRAL'S BRYAN MIMS, SHE

IS STUBBORN.

>> SHE HAS A STUBBORN STREAK.

>> I WAS ALWAYS VERY DETERMINED

TO PROVE TO MYSELF AND TO

OTHERS AROUND ME THAT I COULD

DO THAT.

>> AT 8 YEARS TOLD, HANNAH AS10

COULD DO THAT.

AT 13, SHE SAW HER FIRST AT 18.

SHE REACHED FOR THE WORLD

STAGE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

AND I'M GOING TO DO WHAT IT

TAKES TO GET THERE.

>> Reporter: SHE WAS DOING WHAT

SHE WAS BORN TO DO.

THOUGH SHE WAS BORN WITH

SOMETHING MISSING.

HER LEFT LEG.

SHE HAD CONGENITAL HIP

DISARTICULATION.

>> WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT

ME, THEIR FIRST RESPONSE IS TO

FEEL SAD OR FEEL LIKE THEY NEED

TO SAY, I'M SORRY THAT THIS

HAPPENED TO YOU OR THINGS LIKE

THAT.

WHERE IT'S JUST A SYMPATHY

THING.

BUT I REALLY DON'T WANT SOMEONE

TO FEEL BAD FOR ME BECAUSE I

HAVE A GREAT LIFE AND I HAVE A

WONDERFUL FAMILY THAT I LOVE.

>> HANNAH AS10 HAS LIVED LIFE

IN FULL.

>>> AT 2016, AT THE AGE OF 16.

SHE WENT TO RIO, AND WON TWO

BRONZE MEDALS IN THE OLYMPICS.

OF COURSE, SHE COULDN'T STOP

THERE.

FOR THIS YEAR'S PARALYMPIC

TRIALS, SHEPLACED FIRST IN THE

100-METER BACKSTROKE.

FIRST IN THE FREE STROKE.

FIRST IN THE 50-METER FREE.

>> HONESTLY, BEING BORN WITH A

DISABILITY HAS OPENED SO MANY

DOORS FOR ME IN LIFE THAT I'VE

GOTTEN TO EXPERIENCE THINGS

THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD.

>> SHE GRADUATED FROM LEESVILLE

ROAD HIGH SCHOOL IN 2015.

SHE'S NOW A RISING SENIOR AT

QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE,

MAJORING IN DIGITAL MEDIA.

AND SHE'S ON THE SCHOOL'S SWIM

TEAM.

>> I'M REALLY LUCKY TO BE ABLE

TO SWIM AS PART OF THEIR TEAM.

>> THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT HER

UNDER COACH BRIAN PANE.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS

ATHLETES AND INDIVIDUALS TO

SPREAD AWARENESS AND REALLY

JUST SHOW PEOPLE WHAT WE'RE ALL

ABOUT AND WHAT WE CAN DO.

>> Reporter: IN TRUTH, SHE IS

NOT AT A LOSS FOR ANYTHING.

>> I'M ACTUALLY REALLY, REALLY

GRATEFUL THAT I WAS CREATED THE

WAY I WAS CREATED.

BECAUSE IT HAS ALLOWED ME TO

EXPERIENCE A LOT OF AMAZING

THINGS IN LIFE.

>> STUBBORN.

A LITTLE, PERHAPS.

MORE LIKE LIVING WITH PURPOSE.

AND GOING THE DISTANCE.

BRYAN MIMS, WRAL NEWS.

>> WHAT A CHAMPION.

WOW.

HANNAH PLANS TO PURSUE A CAREER

IN DIGITAL MEDIA, TO BE

INVOLVED IN THE PARALYMPICS FOR