Sophie Pascoe Games type: Summer Paralympic Games. Games year: Beijing , London , Rio Heats Related news. Cool as a cucumber — Queenstown teen sets sights on Beijing 3 November Related athletes. To be there with the explosive clapping and cheering, it was absolutely wonderful.
Yvonne was also able to reconnect with some of her family in England who she left to live in New Zealand in ; they also were able to see Pascoe compete. Despite the accident, Pascoe is the only swimmer in her family. Yvonne had a couple of near-death experiences around water so is not too keen on being in it.
Pascoe says there's quite a bit of fear around swimming in her family. But it's so important because we are surrounded by water in this country. On top of her Paralympic medals she has nearly 15 world titles and a swag of world records. With family and friends unable to travel to Tokyo because of Covid, Yvonne went to last year's nationals instead to watch Pascoe qualify for the Paralympic Games. In those big sporting moments, Yvonne nervously watches on as Pascoe gets ready to compete.
Pascoe says she received so much love and encouragement throughout her childhood. And we had to give her that confidence. Pascoe's parents, family and now partner, Rob Samson, have also been by her side offering support when needed, especially in the last year when the Games were postponed and Pascoe was out of the water for three months during lockdown in New Zealand.
Yvonne is also thankful for Rob and says the family loves him. Her grandparents' relationship is one Pascoe has always admired. Spending more time on her own that she was used to, Pascoe began to crave the human connection that could not be achieved through video calling.
On the advice of her psychologist she had her friend Rob move in with her, so she was not isolating alone. He's made me feel like I found another side to me because I've never really had the chance to be able to fully give myself to anyone before, because swimming would always come first. For someone to stick with me during that period takes a lot of emotional strain. It's nice I've had the chance to be able to find that and now try and balance that with swimming.
We've been together for 20 years which is one of the longest coach-athlete relationships, in New Zealand in particular.
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