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Sport Nation
Paralympics great Dame Sophie Pascoe announces retirement
Sport Nation • January 30th, 2025 12:00 pm
Photo: Photosport
Dame Sophie Pascoe has announced her retirement from competitive swimming, drawing the curtain on the career of New Zealand's greatest Paralympian.
Since her debut at Beijing 2008 at just 15 years old, Dame Sophie has amassed a staggering 11 gold medals (19 in total) across four Paralympics appearances.
The 32-year-old boasts 27 Commonwealth Games medals and multiple world titles.
"Representing New Zealand in the pool has been the greatest honour of my life,” she said.
"Every medal, national record, world record and milestone has been a reflection not just of my efforts, but of the collective dedication of my coaches, teammates, family, friends, supporters and the Swimming New Zealand family."
Pascoe said she hopes to stay involved with the sport outside of the pool.
"While my competitive career may have come to an end, I remain passionate about giving back to the sport that shaped me," she added.
"I hope to continue inspiring future generations of swimmers and foster an inclusive environment where every athlete feels empowered to achieve their dreams."
Dame Sophie has been named Disabled Sportsperson of the Year at the annual Halberg Awards on six occasions and Para Athlete of the decade in 2020.
