What an amazing achievement by New Zealand Paralympic swimmer Sophie Pascoe!!!
5 medals (3 Gold + 2 Silver) from Rio 2016
6 medals (3 Gold + 3 Silver) from London 2012
4 medals (3 Gold + 1 Silver) from Beijing 2008
= Total
15 medals (9 Gold + 6 Silver)
The details:
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games
Gold - Women's 100m Butterfly S10
Gold - Women's 200m Individual Medley SM10
Gold - Women's 100m Backstroke S10
Silver - Women's 100m Freestyle S10
Silver - Women's 50m Freestyle S10
London 2012 Paralympic Games
Gold (World Record) - Women's 200m Individual Medley SM10
Gold (World Record) - Women's 100m Butterfly S10
Gold - Women's 100m Freestyle S10
Silver - Women's 50m Freestyle S10
Silver - Women's 100m Breaststroke SB9
Silver - Women's 100m Backstroke S10
Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games
Gold - Women's 100m Breaststroke SB9
Gold - Women's 200m Individual Medley SM10
Gold - Women's 100m Backstroke S10
Silver - Women's 100m Butterfly S10
Medal Information for Paralympics 2016 Rio from:
https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/sophie-pascoe
Medal Information for 2012 London Paralympic Games / 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games from:
http://www.paralympics.org.nz/Para-Athletes/Athlete-Profiles/Sophie-Pascoe
But more than the medals, her story won my heart!
Sophie Pascoe dedicates NZ's 200th Paralympic medal to late friend, training partner
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/84126295/sophie-pascoe-dedicates-nzs-200th-paralympic-medal-to-late-friend-training-partner
Sophie was swimming for her training partner friend, Hayley Edmond, who passed away from cancer on 1 September 2016, just before the Rio Paralympic Games.
I can't imagine how hard it was to concentrate on the games.
Sophie Pascoe keeps her promise, while taking Paralympics mainstream in NZ
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/84201188/sophie-pascoe-keeps-her-promise-while-taking-paralympics-mainstream-in-nz
Another story she mentioned about her grandfather; she promised her dying grandfather John Goodman that she would win a Paralympics gold medal in his honour when she was only nine. And she kept her promise with him!!!
He would be very proud of his granddaughter!
According to the above news article, she is an ambassador for New Zealand Beef and Lamb, and won many awards for her achievement. (And more Gold and Silver medals from Commonwealth Games and other Championships on top of Paralympic Games.)
She says:
"disabled sport to be treated equally"
"Equalisation means everything to me because I don't treat anyone with a disability differently...
"I want to be a person who leaves a legacy for people with disabilities in New Zealand.
"I don't want to be remembered as Sophie Pascoe the swimmer. I'd like to be remembered for what I did in and out of the pool."
What a remarkable person she is!
"Equalisation" is
one of the reasons I started this blog.
I really admire her and truly believe that she will leave a legacy for people with disabilities in New Zealand and the world!!!
I look forward to seeing her competing in Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Sophie was two years old when she lost her lower left leg. Her father was mowing the lawns when she fell under the ride-on mower's blade.
To get to know more about Sophie,
Check 'About Me' page on her official site
http://www.sophiepascoe.com/about-me/
or
Buy her autobiography!
