Sophie Pascoe Retires from Swimming

Share to Google Classroom

New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian, Dame Sophie Pascoe, has announced her retirement from competitive swimming.

The 32-year-old swimmer won an incredible 19 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds, across four Games from Beijing 2008 to Tokyo 2020. She described representing New Zealand as “the greatest honour” of her life.

Pascoe’s swimming journey began after a life-changing accident at age two, which led to a below-the-knee amputation of her left leg. She started swimming at seven, and her talent was quickly noticed by Paralympians Roly Crichton and Graham Condon. By age 11, she was competing internationally, and at 13, she won her first world championship medal.

Her career spanned over 20 years, during which she set numerous national and world records. Pascoe credited her success to the support of her coaches, teammates, family, and Swimming New Zealand. While she is stepping away from competition, she remains passionate about inspiring young swimmers and promoting inclusivity in the sport.

LEAVE A COMMENT
Give us your views on this article.
RECALL QUESTIONS
A variety of comprehension questions based on this article.
THINKING QUESTIONS
A selection of more detailed questions to show your understanding.
WORKSHEETS
A range of learning activities to complete once you have finished reading this article. 

1
A special group of experts is meeting this week to...
1
Humpback whale calves have been spotted much farther south than...
1
A Yorkshire terrier named Lulu may soon become the world’s...
1
A robot named Revenger has just broken the world record...
1
New Zealand cyclist Dion Smith had an unexpected run-in during...

World & National News

1
A giant dinosaur sculpture in Taupō, New Zealand, has sparked...
1
Heavy rain has caused serious flooding along parts of Australia’s...
1
A team of researchers has discovered a massive 30-year-old fungus...
1
A bronze statue of Melania Trump, the former First Lady...
1
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern delivered the...