Sophia Herzog.Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
For swimmer Sophia Herzog, the Tokyo Paralympics aren’t just another chance for gold — they’ll mark the end of an era.
“I actually wanted to retire after Rio and then I performed really well in Rio,” she told PEOPLE last month. “I thought, you know, why not?”
Herzog, who was born with a form of dwarfism, said she was still working on her college degree at the time, but kept up with training. When she moved to a new city in Colorado in the fall of 2019, she started working with a private coach, which helped to make her training schedule more manageable. It’s also helped her find “who I am.”
Sophia Herzog.Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
“I go and I swim for my two hours and then I can essentially mentally check out and go do my own thing for the rest of the day and then not getting blasted with swimming,” she explained. “I think … I’m ready. I’ve done this for 12 years. I’ve sacrificed a college experience. I did my college online. I haven’t really ever had an actual, real job.”
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She continued, “There’s a part of me that’s ready to be 24 and I just want to be proud, you know, when I go out, of whatever I do in Tokyo”
Herzog said she actually grew up skiing, but her knees weren’t able to handle it at a competitive level. She admitted that she was really a “mediocre swimmer” at that point, but saw the opportunities. Soon, she “got hooked.”
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Amid the pandemic and the delay of the Paralympics from last year, Herzog said her resolve to compete at her highest level hasn’t waned, thanks in part to keeping up with the U.S. national team. They all chatted throughout the delay over Zoom and through a text thread, she explained.
“I think our communication skills got a lot better,” she said, finding a silver lining. “I haven’t seen some of my teammates in over a year, so it’ll be nice to start seeing them again.”
To learn more about all the Paralympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. The Tokyo Paralympics begin August 24th on NBC.
source: people.com
