Elizabeth Marks on her way to taking silver in the women's 100-meter backstroke event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Sept. 7, 2024. The U.S. Army sergeant first class won five silver medals at the Games. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

NANTERRE, France – Eighteen days before Saturday evening’s women’s 100-meter backstroke S6 at the Paralympic Games, Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks predicted Chinese swimmer Jiang Yuyan was going to beat her world record.

While the member of the World Class Athlete Program denies having soothsaying abilities, her prognostication was spot on.

At La Defense Arena, Jiang swam the 100 backstroke in a time of 1 minute, 19.44 seconds – just 0.13 seconds ahead of Marks’ previous record set in Tokyo. Marks, the event’s defending champion who posted the fastest preliminary time Saturday morning, hit the wall in second place with a time of 1:20.34.

Marks expressed joy for the 19-year-old Chinese phenom, as exhibited with her reaction in the pool and as she passed by her opponent on dry land afterward.

“She’s just very talented,” said Marks, mentioning Jiang’s talent was noticeable when the two squared off in Tokyo. “It’s easy to celebrate and see her trajectory is going to be great.

“She knew I wanted to be in the pool when she did it. I never know what the score is at the end, so she let me know and gave me a big hug. That was very special.”

Saturday’s race marked the end of the 34-year-old Marks’ hectic Paris Paralympics.

She competed in seven events – the women’s 50 freestyle S6, 100 freestyle S7, 50 butterfly S6, 200 individual medley SM6 and 100 backstroke S6 and the mixed 4x50 freestyle relay and 4x50 medley relay.

Elizabeth Marks, a U.S. Army sergeant first class, shows off her fifth silver medal of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, after finishing second in the women’s 100-meter backstroke event, Sept. 7, 2024. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Elizabeth Marks takes a breather after swimming to silver in the women’s 100-meter backstroke event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Sept. 7, 2024. At left is the winner Jiang Yuyan of China who set a new world record in the race. Marks, a U.S. Army sergeant first class, won five silver medals at the Games. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Elizabeth Marks swims the first half of the women's 100-meter backstroke event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Sept. 7, 2024. Marks, a U.S. Army sergeant first class, won the silver medal, her fifth of the Games. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

The Prescott Valley, Ariz., native amassed five silver medals in the 50 freestyle, 200 IM and the two relays, as well as Saturday’s race. She arrived in Paris with five Paralympic medals already, a fact that was not lost on her.

“We doubled the (medal) count, which is kind of fun,” Marks said. “They’re probably going to go in the drawer with the rest of them, if I’m being honest.”

That mentality isn’t out of character for Marks.

After suffering bilateral hip injuries while serving as a combat medic in Iraq in 2010, Marks turned to swimming to get herself fit for duty again. She also survived an illness while in London for the inaugural Invictus Games that placed her on life support for respiratory failure.

Then, in July 2017, after she already had competed in her first Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Marks had her left leg amputated below her knee.

So medals aren’t a concern to her. Marks is just happy to be in the pool.

“I race for a moment,” Marks said. “I’m honored to be behind the blocks. I have a huge military community behind me, who I could come in first place or last place and they’ll love me just the same.”

Following 14 races over 10 days, Marks is ready for some rest.

And the final race in which she divined the result stands out among the wave of moments in these Games.

“I’m exhausted. It’s been a long week,” Marks said. “It felt like a really special and beautiful way to end my racing this week.”