Sophie Pascoe: New Zealand Paralympic swimmer on her retirement from competitive swimming

Dame Sophie Pascoe has called time on her career. 

New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian, Pascoe claimed 19 medals, including 11 golds, throughout her career as a competitive swimmer.  

She joined Piney to reflect on her career, and discuss how she arrived at this decision.  

“I think it was a pretty natural evolution for me,” Pascoe said. 

She said that presenting the Paralympic Games last year helped her decision, as she was still part of the team but in a different capacity. 

“I was right where I needed to be, which was to be a mother to my son and to be a wife and just be a family unit, but I also have the opportunity to still have a voice for the Paralympic movements and to showcase our incredible athletes.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks, edb.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Our greatest Olympian is bringing the curtain down on her
incredible career.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Sophie Pasco. It is all about the kywe as she
brings it home. Ten meters to go, Sophie Pasco, good
stroke rating, dragging it out. She's only got half of this.

Speaker 4 (00:28):
A wee bit of a response.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Coming from one of the Australians, but Pasco touches first,
No problem, Sophie Pasco one eighteen point oh nine. It
is gold for New Zealand, a second gold in Nepal.
But Sophie Pasco from christ Church delight for her A
massive smile.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah, we've got to know that massive smile quite a lot.
Didn't wear nineteen Paralympic medals across four Paralympic Games. Eleven
of those nineteen medals were gold, including four in succession
in her her specialty, two hundred individual medley, twenty seven
World Championship medals, five I Commonwealth Games gold medals, over

(01:08):
a dozen world records, and in twenty twenty two she
was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order
of merit. Who else but Dame Sophie Pasco who joins
us now, Dame Sophie, thanks for taking the time for
a chant. How did you come to this decision?

Speaker 4 (01:24):
Look, I think it was a pretty natural evolution for me.
You know, the day of retirement is always obviously going
to be upon an athlete at some stage, and yeah,
you know has taken some serious thought. You know, I
haven't made this decision lately. I still obviously intended to
go to World Championships in twenty twenty three and then

(01:45):
the Paris Paralymic Games in twenty four. You know, I
felt pregnant with my son, and it just became a
natural evolution that actually, you know, I couldn't go to
Paris and I couldn't go to the World Championships due
to my sickness. But then also postpart in and last year,

(02:08):
when I had the opportunity to present the Paralympic Games
alongside Scotti Stevenson with TV and Dev's it actually sort
of helped my decision. I felt really content where I was.
I felt like I was still part of the team
but in a different capacity. But also I was right
where I needed to be, which was to be a

(02:28):
mother to my son and to be a wife and
just be a family unit. But I also have the
opportunity to still have a voice for the Paralympic movement
and to showcase our incredible athletes. So that sort of
definitely helped cement my decision. But obviously I've taken this
time host the twenty twenty four Paralilamic Games to really

(02:50):
make a decision around this next four year cycle, because
absolutely I could go through LA, but right now my
focus has shifted into wanting to be a mother and
give one hundred percent to that and really focus on
you know, bringing my son up and being a family unit.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, it sounds like a pretty good rationale to me.
So having made the decision, what were your overriding emotions?

Speaker 4 (03:18):
Look, there's definitely you know, I don't say my retirement
with sadness. You know, I say it with celebration that
it's been an incredible twenty year plus journey. You know,
the biggest the biggest part of it being the people
that have been involved in this journey and the friendships
and the family that I've created. It's you know, I

(03:41):
couldn't have done this on my own and the fact
that I've had a huge support network that's been able
to be standing by my side through every step of
the journey. You know, I feel very fortunate. I feel
like I've left the sport proud and proud knowing that
you know, I've made an impact not just within the

(04:02):
pool but also out of the pool, the fact that
sport can change people's lives and I've just been a
small contribution to that.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
What are your fondest swimming memories?

Speaker 4 (04:17):
Look, the biggest, one of the biggest memories and probably
one of my biggest achievements that I vested the pool
workers in two thousand and eight. You know, my first
Paralympic Games, I was fifteen years of age. I won,
when I touched the wall and won and also had
a world recognise to it. Standing up on the podium

(04:38):
was the first time I heard the national anthems play
for me. And you know, at the moment of pride,
it's you know, I had a dream of it when
I was a young child, wanting to represent New Zealand
were the Silver Fern, and that moment came true. But
then also up in the stands with my family and

(04:59):
you know, a father who doesn't shed a lot of
emotion who was part of the accident on the day,
which you know, created an image for him of a
young disabled girl, and in that moment I got to
change that into a world champion And that's one of
the greatest things that I get to walk away with
that It does go to show that sport can change
people's lives, and I've been able to do that for

(05:22):
my family and for myself and people with disabilities that
sport doesn't sorry, that a disability doesn't define who you are.
And yeah, I'm proud of that time.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
So if you've operated in a high pressure, high performance
environment for so long, now, how much do you reckon
you'll enjoy not being in that environment.

Speaker 4 (05:44):
Absolutely. I think there's also been another contributing factor to
my decision. You know, I have been in a high
performance environment for twenty years, and you know, to now,
you know, have that pressure release a little bit, it
is it is really enjoyable. I am far more relaxed,

(06:05):
for sure. I mean, I'm definitely on my toes all
the time with bringing up a son who's you know,
nearly one and running around and he's throwing new challenges
at me that I have to navigate but I love it.
You know, this is the beauty of motherhood and it's
just incredibly rewarding to know that, you know, he is

(06:26):
worth more than a gold medal in title to me
right now, and he sees me as mum, you know,
he doesn't put me on a pedestal and see me
as Sophie Pasco And you know, it's just it's a
really rewarding position to be in and I'm absolutely loving motherhood.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
Brilliant stuff. Well, apart from your exploits in the pool,
which have been absolutely magnificent, you've been a driving force
in the Paralympic movement. I look at you know what
the Paralympic movement looked like when you entered it and
how it looks now and it's just streets ahead and
a lot of that is down to the trial you've
blazed so well. Your advocacy of the Paralympic movement continue

(07:08):
even though you're now retired as an athlete.

Speaker 4 (07:12):
Absolutely, it doesn't leave me. You know, yes, it's goodbye
to following a black line and seeing me in the water,
but I certainly still will use my voice to you know,
relish the platform that I've been able to create to
enhance the Paralympic movement and you know, be an advocate

(07:32):
for inclusion and equality. It will never leave me. You know,
I have a huge passion for the sport and the
Paralympic community, and yeah, I'm here to continuously use that
voice that I've been able to create over the years
and empower others and share what the disabled community can

(07:53):
do on a world and global stage.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
I know there'll be things that you won't miss, and
you've outlined a few of them, But what do you
think you'll miss the most?

Speaker 4 (08:02):
I think what I'll miss the most is the friendships
and the racing. You know that seeing my friends overseas
getting in the race togs and feeling that adrenaline rush. Absolutely,
and most of all, I'm going to miss going into
you know, the gym and the pool every day and

(08:23):
seeing my other family. But you know, I've created lifelong
friendships with all those people that I've mentioned, and you know,
I know that I will still be able to connect
with them and share the new chapter and life's journeys
with them.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Well, Dame Sophie, you've been, as I mentioned, an absolute
trailblazer in the Paralympic movement. A role model to so
many people, and an exceptional athlete in our history. Congratulations
on everything you achieved. All the best for the next
chapter on It'll be an exciting one for you and
your family. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thank

(08:58):
you so much, Thank you, Dame Sophie. Dame Sophie Pasco
announcing this week that the curtain is coming down on
her ill swimming career.

Speaker 1 (09:09):
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