On November 16, the U.S. Mission to Vietnam, in coordination with the Vietnam Paralympic Association, organized a swimming training program for Vietnamese coaches and athletes with disabilities in Hue City from November 6-10, within the framework of the U.S. Department of State 's Sports Ambassadors program.
Rudy Garcia-Tolson is an American Paralympic swimmer, runner, and triathlete. Rudy was born with PPS (popliteal pterygium syndrome). The condition left him with club feet, webbed fingers, a cleft lip and palate, and a limited ability to straighten his legs. At age 5, after undergoing 15 surgeries to correct his rare birth defect, Rudy decided to have his legs amputated above the knee. Rudy chose to live with prosthetics, walking more and being more active. Rudy began swimming, running, and has won many competitions since then. At age 15, he broke the world record in swimming and won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games. At the 2018 Beijing Paralympics, when Rudy was only 20 years old, he once again won a gold medal in the 200m individual medley. At the 2012 London Paralympics, Rudy won a silver medal in the 200m individual medley. At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, Rudy broke his own record and won again with a silver medal in the 200m individual medley.
Julia Harbaugh is a long-time swimmer, surfer, and high-tech entrepreneur. She is an avid social worker in San Francisco and abroad. Julia holds a BA in Global Economics and Politics from Washington and Lee University. She also studied economics at the University of Cape Town. Julia has completed multiple Alcatraz swims and has been competing in triathlons since she was 14. In her hometown of San Francisco, Julia is involved with SF Achilles, a nonprofit that supports athletes with disabilities in mainstream sports. She is also a core volunteer surf coach for the MeWater Foundation. Julia currently resides in California. She is an advocate for underserved communities in sports and technology.
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