Jessica Tuomela (born August 3, 1983) is a Canadian paralympic competitive swimmer who was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Although blinded by retinoblastoma at the age of three, she has succeeded in competitive swimming despite her disability. Competing at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, Tuomela earned a silver medal in the 50-metre freestyle as well as three sixth-place finishes in the 100 freestyle, 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter medley. Her accomplishments merited an invitation to the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, where she placed fourth in the 50-meter freestyle and had two sixth-place finishes in the 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke. Tuomela also set five Canadian records in swimming. She won two gold medals in May, 2006 at the Belgian Paralympic Championships in the 50-meter breaststroke and 100-meter backstroke. She also took the silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke. Tuomela currently resides in Scotland pursuing post-secondary activities. In 1998 Tuomela was one of 35 young people from North America and Russia to win the "Yes I Can" award, which recognizes the accomplishments of people with disabilities. She was honored in Sault Ste. Marie in 1992 for her academic achievements. On September 30, 2006 Tuomela became one of the first ten inductees in the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame. In June 2022, Tuomela and guide Emma Skaug were named to Canada's 2022 Commonwealth Games team. References Swimming Canada news story on Jessica Tuomela Sootoday.com news story on Jessica Tuomela Sootoday.com news story on Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame inductees 1983 births Living people Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Paralympics Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Paralympic swimmers of Canada Paralympic silver medalists for Canada Sportspeople from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canadian blind people Medalists at the 2000 Summer Paralympics Canadian people of Finnish descent Paralympic medalists in swimming Canadian female freestyle swimmers Canadian female backstroke swimmers Canadian female breaststroke swimmers S11-classified Paralympic swimmers 20th-century Canadian women 21st-century Canadian women Canadian female triathletes Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games medallists in triathlon Triathletes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games