Sofia's experience of competitive para-swimming 🏅 Has swimming helped you?

Rosie_Scope

As part of our Paralympics celebrations, Scope's stories team have been busy chatting to competitive para-swimmer Sofia. We thought we'd share what they've been chatting about and see whether any of you have found swimming as liberating as Sofia has. You can read Sofia's full story on the Scope website.

To celebrate the Paralympics, Sofia talks about her liberating relationship with competitive para-swimming.

I had my first swimming lesson at home in Italy, when I was 3 years old. My doctor said swimming would be good for my cerebral palsy, as water is beneficial for managing muscle stiffness. 

I actually used to hate swimming at first, and would cry for hours every time I had to go to the pool. I think this was because I could see I was different from the other children.  

I had a separate teacher, and we swam in a separate lane. Sometimes my teacher presumed what I could and couldn’t do, and I felt very limited in that. 

“Swimming with other competitive para-swimmers was life changing for me.” 

I had a new coach at the age of 9 who convinced me to start training with a group of para-swimmers. 

At that point, my attitude changed completely. It was such a varied team. There were people with all different types of disabilities that I'd never seen before. I could see them swim and win races like everybody else. 

It changed me because I could see that we were all in the same boat. I felt really included.  

“I could do things in the water that I couldn't do outside.” 

Outside the water, I have no balance, so I use a walking frame and a wheelchair. When I'm swimming in the water, I don't need any mobility aids because I'm floating.  

I learnt as a kid that I could walk on my own in the water. That's always been very liberating to me.  

It’s not because I want to walk on my own, but because I found I could do things in the water that I couldn't do outside. 

For example, you don't think about the inaccessibility of things in para-swimming spaces because everyone is disabled.  

I also get a sense of belonging from being with other para-swimmers. It’s a feeling that I can joke with someone about our disabilities without them thinking it's weird.  

“I swim because I enjoy it, and it has been my lifeline.” 

In 2008, I started swimming competitively on a regional level. I have now been competing in nationals since 2010. When I moved to Cardiff in 2016, I continued to train remotely with my coach.  

There is a common misconception that, if you do any parasports, you must be a superhero. Or, you must compete at the very high level. I want to bring some kind of normalcy to parasports.  

I’m a para swimmer, but I’m not a world champion. I do it because I love it.  

This is just an extract of Sofia's story, but you can read the whole story on the Scope website:

“Swimming has always been so liberating for me.” | Disability charity Scope UK

And if you'd like to chat about the Paralympics, we've got a discussion going on over here. Come on Team GB! 🥇

The Great Paralympics Discussion

We'd love to hear about your experiences in the water 🐬

Have you found swimming helpful for managing your conditions? Or even just for your general wellbeing?

Do you find there are enough accessible opportunities to go swimming where you live?

WhatThe

Yes! I was a water baby and went on to competitive swimming until my teens when severe menstrual pain interfered with my training and I knew I'd reached my peak at county level - I retained my strong muscles thereafter so I definitely benefited from learning to swim early.

Then when I came to London, I began volunteering at a club to help disabled swimmers like Sofia enjoy the freedom of movement in water. The atmosphere was wonderful. Many swimmers only needed assistance to enter and exit the pool because they had so few limitations in the water - it supports our weight and we can all float (I used to feel like a mermaid underwater). It really is so liberating and the best all-round exercise for us all.

Albus_Scope

I do love a swim as I can just use one leg, it's been so good for my physical and mental health.

WhatThe

Do you have a lido near you?

WhatThe

I actually tuned in for the swimming last night but only caught the men's long jump which was pretty spectacular! Had to watch with the sound off then ignore flashing adverts so I didn't stay long. I don't watch much TV at all.

Albus_Scope

My family have found someone who hires their pool out per hour, so we tend to do that once a week now. It really helps my anxiety being able to swim without strangers around. 😊

WhatThe

Wow never heard of that! Lucky you 😍

WhatThe

Have I missed all the swimming then? You mentioned a few days ago it was always on..

Albus_Scope

It was quite an amazing find by my sister! The pool is indoors and heated too, with no interaction with the owners, so it's pretty perfect.

The swimming is still on, The womens 100m breaststroke finals are at 16:50 today! You can usually catch everything on the C4 Sports youtube channel .

WhatThe

Oh no I've missed that!

Albus, I can't watch anything on my laptop and I don't know how to get that on my TV or find the events programme..

Albus_Scope

Oh no, could you watch it on your phone, on the youtube app? I know it's a bit late now for the breast stroke finals, but we still have another day of paralypics!

WhatThe

The smart phone screen is even smaller so no, I only use mine for texts and still prefer my brick phone!

"I’m a para swimmer, but I’m not a world champion. I do it because I love it".

What a lovely quote from Sofia though. I hope to be around in four years' time for the next games and maybe I'll have apps connected to my TV by then or even better there may be a 24-hour Olympics channel. I've always loved watching the swimming races.

Madtricyclist

I have really enjoyed watching the Paralympics on Channel 4. I just wish they covered more of the events instead of having so much chat before and after each event and the adverts come round so quickly too, which is very frustrating.

Swimming has been excellent this Paralympics so many GB swimmers in so many different classifications and so many medal chances too. We must be doing something right in terms of attracting young disabled people into sport.

There was even a medal in the Boccia this time round and that match was aired on Channel 4 at prime time which could be a first. Yes, the long jump was an amazing watch.

I class myself as a Para Swimmer too even though I have never taken part in any serious swimming events. I have swum most of my life starting at a very young age with hydrotherapy as part of my physio. At school I took part in swimming lessons but found them hard. I used to go swimming regularly with my family too.

It wasn’t till I moved house and found a disabled swimming club that meets at my local leisure centre that my swimming really took off. I have been part of this club for 34 years now and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have my weekly swim. Lockdown was hard but as soon as the pool was open, I was back!

One hour in the pool is my time to unwind from the stresses of the day, I am free to move without the gravity weighing me down and making life hard. I am an equal with the able bodied men/women in the lane next to me and it feels great. I swim up and down the pool using my arms only, mostly breaststroke with the occasional front crawl thrown in. I try to swim as many lengths as possible in that hour. My current top score is 70 lengths (25m pool) in 56 minutes. I love to challenge myself and one day will go even further.

Swimming is part of my life and will be for a few more years yet!

Happy swimming everyone

Rachel_Scope

I'm so glad you found the swimming club and have been a member for so long @Madtricyclist! 70 lengths in 56 minutes is phenomenal. You've clearly worked hard to get there. I totally agree about all the chatter, I'd rather watch the athletes than listen to people talk.

Madtricyclist

@Rachel_Scope Yes I don't know what I'd be doing now if I had not found the swimming club and found my love for swimming. It's so much easier than walking! 😀. I'm glad I've found someone else that agrees with me about all the chatter. I would watch any athletes regardless of which country they belong too. They are all incredible and deserve their time in spotlight.

WhatThe

And me!

I'm reassured to know I wasn't just too tired to stay tuned though I soon realised that I rarely watch Channel 4 these days and wasn't used to adverts or this kind of production. All too much motion and flashing for my eyes and far too much studio time.

Madtricyclist, it's so lovely to hear how swimming helps you! Weightless is the word I was looking for and thank you for sharing your story!

WhatThe

Found this through Antonia Burke Hyman's post (Research Exploring Disabled Women's Experiences of Dating)

9th September to 2nd December

Whether you’re looking to get fit, find a new challenge or take part in an activity that the whole family can get involved in, the Aspire Channel Swim is the swimming event for you!  For 25 years our swimmers have been taking on the original Channel Challenge and swimming 22 miles over 12 weeks to support people with Spinal Cord Injury.

The Aspire Channel Swim is FREE to sign up to and you can swim on your own or in a team with family, friends, classmates or colleagues. Take on the 22 miles in your local pool, in your own time over 12 weeks and help change the lives of people paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury.

You can complete the challenge wherever and whenever you like, and take on the whole 22 miles, share the distance with your friends and family, or even swim to France and back!

Madtricyclist

Thanks for Sharing this @WhatThe This has popped up on my SwimTag challange feed and I am very tempted to give it ago. I currently have a challenge on the go at the moment swim the Cook Strait which is a distance of 22.19km I started on 11/8/24 & hope to finish on 26/11/24 or before. I will look into the Aspire Channel Swim perhaps I can do the two.

NCL

I love swimming but I can't swim if I'm too close to other people. I'm in a lot of pain, and getting bumped/having to stop suddenly is too much. I also have some breathing/swallowing issues so I have to be really careful about inhaling water. I'd love to go swimming again as it really helps manage pain, but I can't face the pain spasms that can last for days, or the chest infections that can last a lot longer. Anyone know of any places I could swim safely?