Pascoe’s emotional return home
Relaxing and spending time with nana.
Those are Christchurch Paralympic star Sophie Pascoe’s priorities for the next few days after she arrived home last night.
‘‘I’m so happy [to be home],’’ she said.
‘‘I’m so tired right now, but it’s just so good to finally have my feet back on home soil – finally home sweet home after a couple of long days in Auckland.’’
Living out of a suitcase had been the hardest part of spending so much time away from Christchurch, she said.
‘‘This whole year’s been very hard in that respect because I’ve been living between Auckland and Christchurch.
‘‘Just uplifting from normal routine life and being away from my family here.’’
She planned to relax and spend time with her nana over the coming days.
Pascoe has earned some time off, after spending the best part of the past four years staring at the bottom of a pool.
The international swimming sensation won’t be far from the
"I'm so tired right now, but it's just so good to finally have my feet back on home soil – finally home sweet home after a couple of long days in Auckland." Sophie Pascoe
water, but it will be her tan line, rather than any swim stroke, that will take priority after a gruelling Paralympics campaign, which left her physically and emotionally drained.
You could forgive Pascoe if her hiatus from the pool became permanent, even if she is only 23. It’s not like she has anything left to prove.
Trouble is, once you get used to standing on top of the dais and hearing the national anthem as much as she has, it makes it extremely difficult to walk away.
‘‘That’s that moment no one will ever be able to take away from me,’’ Pascoe said as she reflected on another successful Paralympics experience.
‘‘That’s that moment that is just mine, that I will be able to remember how I raced that particular race because every race has it’s own story and moment.’’
For the third consecutive Paralympics, Pascoe was at the forefront of New Zealand’s medal charge.
Her five medals in five days in Rio – three of which were gold – left her with an overall tally of 15 and the title of New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian, one ahead of the late Eve Rimmer.
But Pascoe still has boxes left to tick.
She has already set her sights on defending her 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley titles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
And while the Tokyo Paralympics in four years’ time hasn’t exactly been locked in, it’s ’’definitely on the horizon’’.
‘‘It’s the challenge,’’ Pascoe said when asked what keeps her going.
‘‘I’ve set the bar pretty high in every race and to be able to set some records at a high standard, I’m always wanting more and to find the perfect race.
‘‘I just love taking on board that challenge.’’
It’s not all about the medals, though.
Kiwis were gripped by events in Rio like never before and the Games received a significant boost in media coverage compared to previous editions.
A huge part of that is down to the success of Pascoe, blade runner Liam Malone and the 10 other medallists.
And Pascoe is determined to see that continue.
‘‘I’d love to leave a legacy in Paralympic sport to know that I’ve been able to help create the profile and push the Paralympic movement to a new level and to be able to know that I’ve been able to inspire others to follow their dreams.’’