Ali Truwit Debuts Stronger Than You Think Performance Incentive Fund for U.S. Paralympic Swimmers

The Paralympian, who notched two silver medals in Paris in 2024, shared the initiative this week.

Ali Truwit / Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Ali Truwit is quite literally changing the game for Paralympic swimmers. The 25-year-old Connecticut native announced on Wednesday, Jan. 21, that her foundation, Stronger Than You Think, was launching a Performance Incentive Fund to “provide financial rewards” for Paralympic swimmers across the country.

“The biggest obstacle to the podium isn’t physical; it’s financial. More than half of Team USA Paralympians make under 50K a year, and many have to work two jobs just to be able to afford being a professional athlete,” Truwit explained in a 43-second reel posted to the foundation’s official Instagram page on Wednesday. The athlete, who notched a pair of silver medals at the global games in Paris in 2024, then went on to explain how the initiative hopes to change this.

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“The Performance Incentive Fund will provide financial rewards to U.S. Paralympic swimmers who win gold, silver or bronze in their events, or set a world record at this year’s 2026 Pan Pacific Championships, and a World Series meet in 2027 and in 2028,” she declared. The Irvine, Calif., competition will run from August 12 to August 15, while the dates for the 2027 and 2028 contests have not been revealed at the time of publication.

Truwit also disclosed the news on her own Instagram feed to her 71.6 thousand followers, with a five-slide carousel outlining the fund’s main objectives. In its final frame, the Yale University alumna noted that she will be contributing to her own foundation with any potential earnings won through the 2028 Paralympic Games. However, the athlete has yet to qualify for the international competition, which will take place in Los Angeles starting on August 15, 2028.

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Fellow swimmers headed to Truwit’s comment section to cheer on the initiative and its foreseeable impact. However, the Nike athlete noted that this is just the beginning, stating in her post that the “big goal” is to expand the fund to “other sports, as well as in the number of competitions it’s offered each year.”

Among its commenters, two-time Paralympian Anastasia Pagonis wrote, “Making serious changes for OTHERS ❤️ this is incredible and will help our community so much.”

“Life changing!!!” Allison Schmitt, who has notched ten medals—including four gold—with USA Swimming added, “So amazing...you bring so much good into this world ☀️.”

Gia Pergolini, two-time Paralympic gold medalist, penned, “And that’s how you do it ladies and gentlemen!! so proud of you❤️.”

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