Anastasia Pagonis Explained

Anastasia Pagonis
Nickname:Tas
Nationality:American
Disability:Autoimmune retinopathy
Disability Class:S11
Sport:Paralympic swimming
Birth Date:2 May 2004
Birth Place:Long Island, New York
Hometown:Garden City, New York
Height:5inchesft5inchesin (ftin)
Show-Medals:yes

Anastasia Pagonis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Αναστασία Παγώνης; born May 2, 2004) is an American Paralympic swimmer. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. She is a world record and American record holder within the sport.[1]

Career

Pagonis made her international debut at the 2020 WPS World Series event in Melbourne, Australia in February 2020, where she won gold in the 400 metre freestyle and won a bronze medal in the 200 metre medley. She also finished eighth in the 50 metre freestyle and fourth in the 100 metre freestyle.[1]

At the US Paralympic trials, Pagonis set the world 400 metre freestyle S11 record twice, once during the prelims, then again during the finals. These records were not yet ratified before the 2020 Summer Paralympics began.[2] In June 2021 it was announced that Pagonis was named to Team USA, competing in swimming at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.[3] [4]

At just 17-years-old, Pagonis represented the United States in the women's 400 metre freestyle S11 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics where she set the S11 class world record in the preliminary heat with a time of 4:58.40.[5] Pagonis broke the world record again during finals with a time of 4:54.49 to win gold, her first Paralympic medal and the United States' first gold medal at the Paralympics.[6] [7] She competed in the women's 200 metre individual medley SM11 event where she set an American record with a time of 2:45:61 and won a bronze medal.[8]

On April 14, 2022, Pagonis was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.[9] She made her World Championships debut on June 15, 2022, and won a gold medal in the 200 metre individual medley SM11 event with a time of 2:49.73.[10]

Personal life

Pagonis' diagnosis is autoimmune retinopathy which caused her sight to deteriorate rapidly at the age of 11, and she lost her vision by the age of 14.[11] She has a guide dog named Radar, which she says changed her life and helped her with the depression she had due to her vision loss.[12] She shares videos on TikTok and Instagram educating people about blindness.[13] Her family is from Greece.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anastasia Pagonis . https://web.archive.org/web/20210616230057/https://www.teamusa.org/usparaswimming/athletes/Anastasia-Pagonis . dead . June 16, 2021 . teamusa.org . August 25, 2021.
  2. Web site: Anastasia Pagonis Sets World Record in 400 Free at Day 2 of Paralympic Trials . swimswam.com . Jack . McCormick . June 19, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  3. Web site: United States name 34 swimmers on Tokyo 2020 Paralympic team . insidethegames.biz . June 22, 2021 . August 26, 2021.
  4. Web site: Long Island's Anastasia Pagonis Competing in Tokyo Paralympic Games . . Briana . Bonfiglio . August 24, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  5. Web site: Americans Anastasia Pagonis, Gia Pergolini Set World Records on Night 2 of Paralympics Prelims . swimmingworldmagazine.com . Matthew . de George . August 25, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  6. Web site: Garden City swimmer Anastasia Pagonis wins gold medal at Tokyo Paralympics . . Mike . Ruiz . August 24, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  7. Web site: Anastasia Pagonis, 17, breaks own world record, wins U.S.' first gold medal of Tokyo Paralympics . olympics.nbcsports.com . August 24, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  8. Web site: Women's 200m individual medley - SM11 - Finals Results . Tokyo 2020 Paralympics . . 30 August 2020 . August 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210830102429/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/SWM/PG2020-_SWM_C73A1_SWMW200MIM--11012-----FNL-000100--.pdf . dead.
  9. Web site: U.S. Paralympics Swimming Nominates 25 athletes to World Championship Roster . https://web.archive.org/web/20220516011227/https://www.teamusa.org/USParaSwimming/Features/2022/April/14/US-Paralympics-Swimming-Nominates-25-athletes-to-World-Championship-Roster . dead . May 16, 2022 . teamusa.org . Kristen . Gowdy . April 14, 2022 . April 14, 2022.
  10. Web site: Madeira 2022: Anastasia Pagonis repeats Tokyo with debut gold medal . paralympic.org . June 15, 2022 . June 15, 2022.
  11. Web site: August 21, 2021 . Anastasia Pagonis: This is my message . Tokyo 2020 Paralympics . Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games . August 25, 2021 . August 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210824231100/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/paralympics/news/anastasia-tas-pagonis-loving-life-again-with-the-help-of-a-four-legged-friend . dead.
  12. Web site: Reeder . Jen . August 23, 2021 . Blind teen swimmer and guide dog make 'perfect pair' in Paralympics quest . August 25, 2021 . today.com.
  13. Web site: August 25, 2021 . Anastasia Pagonis is battling for her first gold at the Paralympics. On TikTok, she fights to normalize blindness. . August 25, 2021 . The Washington Post.