By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London 

Trischa Zorn_3__1_SeptSeptember 3 - Trischa Zorn, unquestionably the greatest ever Paralympian, wants to be involved if the United States bids to host the Olympics and Paralympics, she has said.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is currently considering a move for either the 2024 Summer Games or 2026 Winter Games.

The 48-year-old former swimmer from California (pictured top), who was last week inducted into the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame at a special ceremony, competed in seven consecutive Paralympic Games from Arnhem 1980 to Athens 2004 winning an unmatched 55 medals, including 41 golds, nine silvers and five bronze.

Zorn – who has been blind since birth – maintains strong links with the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and now serves on the USOC Athletes' Advisory Council and US Department of Veterans Affairs while also working professionally as an attorney helping injured US soldiers break into Paralympic sport.

She has told insidethegames that she would love the opportunity to help bring back the Olympics and Paralympics to America for the first time since the Salt Lake City Winter Games of 2002, which came shortly after the Atlanta 1996 Games at which she competed.

"I would love to have the Games back in the United States," she said.

"I would love to be a part of both that and the bid process.

"The US would work to put on the best Paralympics and Olympics ever."

Trischa Zorn__41_SeptFormer swimming champion Trischa Zorn wants to help inspire the United States to win a future Games bid

The USOC recently set up a five-person working group to investigate whether to bid for the Games in 2024 or 2026.

The group will report to the full USOC board in December, but Zorn feels that whatever the decision the Paralympics will play a key role in any attempt to win the Games.

"I'm sure the Paralympics would be a real cornerstone of any bid because it is one of the top priorities in the US now," she said.

"Sponsors are looking to invest more and more in our Paralympic athletes, and the athletes are showing a return with world-class performances, which maybe we didn't see in the past.

"It is just a great time to be a US Paralympian or involved in the Paralympics at all."

To read the full interview click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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