Shade Global

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2020 Paralympics: Bronze, 100m Breaststroke
• 2020 Race The World Para Competition: Gold, 100M Breaststroke
• 2019 U.S. National Championships: Gold, 50 m, 200 IM
• 2018 Para Pan/Pacific Championships: Gold, 50 m, 100m, 400m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, 200 IM, 500m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke
• 2017 Para World Championships: Gold, 100m Breaststroke, 34pt Medley Relay; Silver, 200m IM; Bronze, 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke
• 2017 Colorado Swimmer of the Year
• 2016 Rio Paralympics: Silver, 100m Breaststroke
• 2015 Pan American Games: Silver, 100m Breaststroke, 200 Individual Medley, 4×200 Freestyle Relay; Bronze, 50m Freestyle
• 2015 CanAm Para Swimming Championship: Gold, 50m Fly; Silver, 400m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyl

BACKGROUND

Sophia was born with a form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia, which is a 1 in 26,000 chance of occurring. Growing up in South Park, Colorado had its difficulties as she was the first student to go through the school district with a physical disability. South Park has a population of 500, there is no swim team let alone a swimming pool, so she graduated high school a year early and moved to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

In 2016, Sophia became a Paralympic Silver medalist in swimming the sb6 100m breaststroke, as well as placing sixth in the 200 IM at the Rio Paralympic Games. At the 2017 World Championships she took home two Gold medals, one Silver, and two Bronze. She most recently brought home a Bronze medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan and set the new World Record in the 1500m.

Outside of swimming, Sophia is currently taking online college courses with DeVry and is set to graduate in November with a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Communication. In her free time, painting is one of her biggest hobbies alongside horseback riding, fishing, and mountain biking with her dog, Odie. Most recently, she moved to Salida, CO with her longtime boyfriend to continue her training. 

Sophia talk about Sportsmanship and Perseverance here.

Twitter: @SophiaHerzog             Facebook: Sophia Herzog             Instagram: @sophiaherzog