Paris 2024: Sophie Soon swims fearless race at second Paralympic Games

By Nicole Chia

Sophie Soon first expressed hopes of competing for Singapore at the Paralympic Games as a way out of a conversational dead end during her Primary 6 oral examinations, where the picture description and discussion components happened to focus on the topic of swimming pools. Her declaration turned out to be a prophecy fulfilled twice – the 27-year-old just concluded her second Paralympic Games outing with a seventh-placed finish in the 100m breaststroke SB12 final on 5 September (Paris time).  

Sophie Soon during the 100m breaststroke SB12 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Credit: SportSG/Jeremy Lee

Swimmers in the SB12 classification have vision impairment.

Soon posted a time of 1min 30.42sec at the La Defense Arena, the para swimming event venue for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. World champion Elena Krawzow of Germany lowered her own world record en route to winning gold in 1:12.54, while Brazilian defending champion Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago finished second in 1:15.62. China’s Zheng Jietong clinched the bronze in an Asian record of 1:20.03. 

"This Paralympics run has been quite challenging for me and it has been an emotional one; I am so incredibly happy that I'm even here – I really didn't think I was going to make it for quite a decent amount of last year and early this year, so I'm very grateful that I got to represent Singapore at my second Paralympic Games," said Soon, who had been battling an elbow injury since the end of 2022. 

While she is pleased to have been swifter in the finals than the heats, Soon is "not very satisfied". She added: "I felt I could have gone better and done better with that race. We still have some things to work on especially if LA 2028 is on the table, which I really want it to be, but overall I am still just pretty happy that I'm even here and thankfully made it to the finals."

Sophie Soon jumping into the pool for the 100m breaststroke SB12 final on 5 September. Credit: SportSG/Eng Chin An

Soon, who started swimming competitively at age 15, had placed eighth in the morning heats in 1:31.89. She walked out to the starting blocks wearing a resolute expression in the evening, and that determination showed in the pool as she swam fearlessly from start to finish. Her time in the final was an improvement from her 1:30.96 effort at the Citi Para Swimming World Series Singapore in May.

Sophie Soon before the 100m breaststroke SB12 final on 5 September. Credit: SportSG/Eng Chin An

The Tokyo 2020 Games where she made her debut had limited spectators due to the pandemic, and Soon has enjoyed the raucous atmosphere at the La Defense Arena – the same venue of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in May. Soon, a self-professed Swiftie, said: "It's really crazy to think that Taylor Swift was in the same place where I was. I don't think our crowd was as big as hers but it definitely felt like a crazy crowd for sure. Feeling a crowd like that really spurs you on and I really think they are what got me through my race. I've been told it's practically full house and this is a huge stadium; even though the competitors are not from France, the crowd is still very loudly and proudly cheering for us and it's a wonderful environment to be a part of."

Soon has excelled at the international level in recent years, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 100m breaststroke SB12 at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships and three golds at last year’s Asean Para Games.

For now, a much-deserved break awaits before embarking on working towards the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Her proclamation as a Primary 6 pupil may well come true for a third time there, and when the time comes, she will once again be ready for it. 

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games take place in Paris, France from 28 August to 8 September 2024. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.