On the final day of competition on the track, Alaska-born wheelchair racer Shirley Reilly got the Paralympics medal she wanted by earning bronze in the 800-meter race Saturday in Rio de Janiero.
It's the fourth Paralympics medal for Reilly, 31, who won three medals at the 2012 London Games.
"My goal was to come here and at least get one medal and I just did that," Reilly told a U.S. Olympic Committee representative after the race.
Reilly, whose family is from Barrow, suffered serious damage due to lack of oxygen when she was born six weeks prematurely. She lost the use of her legs and some of her hearing, prompting her family to move to California to be close to specialized medical care.
Reilly is half Inupiat and is at least the second Alaska Native to compete at the Paralympics. Joe Tompkins, a sit-skier from Juneau who is a Sealaska Native Corporation shareholder, competed in four winter Paralympics.
This is Reilly's fourth Paralympics, and she owns four career medals going into her best event, Sunday's marathon. She's the defending gold medalist in the event.
"I've been training very hard for the marathon and if everything goes well, I'll be very happy but if not, I did my job here," Reilly, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, told the USOC. "I at least wanted one medal — another medal would be a bonus."
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On Saturday, Reilly benefited from a fast heat, placing fourth in her semifinal to gain a spot in the final. There, she was part of a wicked-fast race.
China's Hongzhuan Zhou blazed to a world-record time of 1 minute, 47.45 seconds. Australia's Madina de Rozorio was second in 1:47.64, with Reilly right behind in 1:47.77.
Former world-record holder Angela Ballard of the United States was fourth in 1:47.97. Zhou eclipsed Ballard's 2015 record of 1:47.48.
Reilly was nearly two seconds faster in the finals than in her heat.
"It was exciting," she said. "I got a little panicked because I was kind of boxed in, but it worked out for the best. I wanted to get behind a fast person and just hang on because I knew it was going to be very quick. It worked out really well."
Earlier in the week, Reilly placed fifth in the 400 meters and was an alternate for the 1,600-meter relay team that was disqualified in Thursday's finals. Her medals in 2012 came in the marathon (gold), 5,000 (silver) and 1,500 (bronze).
"I'm really excited to finally help Team USA bring home a medal on the final day on the track. It's not over yet so hopefully I'll do well in the marathon tomorrow."
Sunday marks the end of the Paralympic Games.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Reilly was believed to be the first Alaska Native to compete in the Paralympics.