Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks swims the freestyle portion of the women's 200 meter individual medley SM6 final at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships, held in Manchester, England, last summer. Marks will be competing in her third Paralympics when the 2024 Games get underway in Paris this week. (Michael Hunnisett/U.S. Army)

Elizabeth Marks differs with Allen Iverson’s famous take on practice.

The former Philadelphia 76ers Hall of Famer dismissed its importance during an interview that turned into a meme.

But for Marks, an Army sergeant first class, practice became therapy in the aftermath of war.

She got into swimming in 2012 after suffering bilateral hip injuries while serving as a combat medic in Iraq in 2010. She was angry and struggling to receive the fit-for-duty designation again.

Swimming helped her recover from those injuries and eventually the amputation of her left leg below the knee in 2017.

“Training was where I got to create my own pain and be in control of the environment,” Marks said. “So, I fell in love with the sport by training.

“Racing is fun, and I think it’s a great way to show gratitude for life, but I’m not necessarily competitive as a person.”

Nevertheless, the Prescott Valley, Ariz., native has produced plenty of success in para swimming.

Marks has earned five Paralympic medals, including two golds, in her appearances at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. The 34-year-old holds numerous American records and the world record in her best event, the 100-meter backstroke.

She also received the 2016 Pat Tillman Award at the ESPYs.

Marks gets the chance to add to her medal total during the 2024 Paris Games, which begin Wednesday and end Sept. 8. The 16-year soldier is one of 33 members of the U.S. Paralympic swim team competing in a field of more than 600 athletes in 141 medal events.

But getting more medals isn’t on the top of the list for Marks.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks talks to Stuttgart Piranhas swimmers during an open practice session with the U.S. Paralympic swim team on Aug. 20, 2024, at a pool in Sindlefingen, Germany. Marks is one of 33 members on the U.S. squad that will compete in Paris during the 2024 Paralympic Games. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks gets ready to swim in the 100-meter backstroke S6 preliminaries on June 27, 2024. Marks broke her own world record in the event with a time of 1:19.57 and will be competing in the 2024 Paris Paralympics. (Stephen Warns/U.S. Army)

Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks gets ready to swim in the 100-meter backstroke S6 preliminaries June 27, 2024. Marks broke her own world record in the event with a time of 1:19.57. Marks will be competing in her third Paralympics. (Stephen Warns/U.S. Army)

Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks talks during an open practice of the U.S. Paralympic swim team at a pool in Sindelfingen, Germany, on Aug. 20, 2024. A five-time medalist, Marks will be competing in seven events at the 2024 Paralympic Games. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

U.S. Paralympic swimmers in front, from left, Christie Raleigh Crossley, Jamal Hill, Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks and Leann Smith pose with members of the Stuttgart Piranhas swim team Aug. 20, 2024, at a pool in Sindelfingen, Germany. Forty swimmers came out to an open practice to meet the U.S. Paralympic swim team ahead of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

“I just want to make the World Class Athlete Program proud,” Marks said. “I want to make my military community proud. I want to make Paralympic sports visible for ill, sick, injured and wounded service members as an outlet and possibly something else to transition into. Those are the wins for me.”

Marks will be in the pool for seven events — the 50 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke in the S6 classification and a pair of mixed freestyle and medley relays.

She won gold in the 100 backstroke, silver in the 50 freestyle and bronze in the 50 butterfly three years ago in Tokyo. She’s the favorite to win the 100 backstroke with the fastest qualifying time by two seconds at 1 minute, 19.57 seconds, which she posted during the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in Minneapolis on June 27.

Marks, though, is most excited about seeing a pair of young competitors – China’s Yuyan Jiang and Ukraine’s Anna Hontar. Jiang earned the silver medal behind Marks in 2021 at the age of 16, and she enters Paris with the second-best time in the world. Hontar, 20, finished third at the 2023 world championships.

“They’re young, and I can’t wait to see them thrive,” Marks said of the young talents. “I have no doubt that eventually they will break my world record, and I just hope I’m in the pool for it.”

Normally nonchalant heading into races, Marks admitted she does feel pressure with relays.

She did earn a bronze medal in a women’s 4x100 medley relay with current teammates Hannah Aspden and Lizzi Smith and the now retired Michelle Konkoly during the 2016 Rio Games.

“That’s probably the one time I do get nerves because I don’t want to fail other people,” Marks said. “I enjoy them because it’s fun to share that enjoyment with other people and not just be alone, but it is a little more intimidating for me.”

Still, Marks isn’t going to harp on the results at Paris’ La Defense Arena.

She’s going to enjoy the experience, even though as an introvert, the return of crowds will add some nerves. She can bank on the support of her husband and coach, Mason Heibel, who will be in attendance this time, unlike in Tokyo.

Anything on top of that is icing on the cake.

“Someone has to come in first place; someone has to come in last place,” Marks said, “I’m just happy to be a part of the process.”