Have you heard the one about the six-time Paralympic swimming champion who doesn’t like getting wet? Meet Sophie Pascoe, a young woman who has a habit of doing and saying the unexpected. Having become New Zealand’s youngest ever Paralympian when she won three golds and one silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Games aged just 15, Pascoe claimed another three golds and three silvers at London 2012. Add to this 13 world championships medals, five of them gold, and a remarkable story of overcoming a terrible injury, and it’s not so surprising that Pascoe had published an autobiography by the age of 21.  

“I don't particularly like getting wet at first, but once I'm in the water and moving, I get the job that I love done,” she told rio2016.com. “I believe that every athlete will agree with me that we have a love-hate relationship with the water. This is due to having bad days and good days, but this is where our mental strategy kicks in, making sure every training session counts.”

Such determination has seen Pascoe win enough medals to test the screws on any trophy cabinet in the world. Her latest major triumphs came in Glasgow last year, where she won the 100m breaststroke (in the SB9 class) and 200m medley (SM10). Now she is focusing on Rio 2016, which will be her third Paralympic Games and South America’s first.

“I’m excited about Rio and expecting its people to be fun, flamboyant and keen to deliver a fantastic Paralympic Games experience,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing a large number of highly competitive athletes in Rio as Paralympic sport continues to go from strength to strength each year. It’s harder to retain a title and that’s what I plan to do.”

Pascoe was just two years old when she was injured in a lawn mower accident outside her home in suburban Christchurch. After five hours of surgery she had her left leg amputated below the knee. However, far from holding her back, it spurred her on in life.

“Although our lives changed in that nanosecond, to this day I believe it is the best thing that ever happened to me,” Pascoe wrote on her website. “Since my accident I have been described as a young vibrant girl who loves to face challenges. My leg (or lack of!) never held me back.”

Pascoe has used her impairment as an inspiration for success (Photo: Getty Images/Mike Ehrmann)

Asked if she misses out on some things, she said: “Yes, in respect of having a social life like my friends do and also in my studies. I had to grow up a lot quicker than my peers. However, I’m doing what I love and I can’t ask for much more. Also, the more I travel around the world, the more I gain knowledge and independence.”

Pascoe has become a role model for athletes with an impairment, and probably athletes without an impairment, too. The likelihood is this will only increase at the Rio 2016 Games.