Inspirational cover story- Sophia Herzog, A team USA swimmer and Paralympic champion.

                   Sophia Herzog is a 2016 team USA swimmer, Rio 2016 Paralympian Silver medallist and a motivational speaker. She was born and raised in Colorado, USA. Swimming and diving was first taught by her mother with the Dwarf athletic association of America, which later it turned into a passion for her and earned a championship. It was an honour to interview this tremendous lady. Let's read along..

SOPHIA HERZOG

BAFD- How did you spend your childhood and how you used to be as a highschool student?

  Sophia- I grew up in a small town in Colorado, I grew up on a farm riding horses and building forts in the middle of the forest!. Through high school I didn't have many friends, but I graduated a year early so I was quite busy juggling double the load of school work and training.

        Erin Popovich was/is my role model.

 BAFD- What would be the best achievement of your profession?

   SH- I would say my best achievement would be winning the silver medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games and being able to represent the United States at the highest athletic arena. 

BAFD- How did you get the opportunity to represent your country at Paralympics?

   SH- I was a really good skier and wanted to go to the Games for that, but I was going to need double knee replacements in my teenage years and they didn't have skiing offered for dwarfism so I switched over to swimming and showed potential. So I moved to the Olympic Training Centre at age 17 and still currently live here training full time.

My success habits include Never giving up, remembering why I started and knowing that all this hard work is going pay off, and still loving the sport and what I do everyday.

BAFD-What are the projects you are currently working on? 

 SH- I am a Classroom of Champions Ambassador this year, it's my first year with the organization which I'm really excited about!

BAFD- What were some of the challenges / struggles you faced in the course of your success?

  SH- I grew up in a town with no swimming pool so it was a struggle just to have time in the pool, as well as realizing I had a potential at a young age I was on a different track then a lot of my classmates that created a separation; as well some minor injuries that were small hiccups on the journey.

BAFD- Should women wear make-up?

SH-  I believe it's up to the woman about wearing makeup but we should feel comfortable in our own skin before we wear some! I don't wear make up on a daily basis, I'll just put a little on if we go out.

 I love mascara, I love having long eyelashes.

FAST FIVE SESSION WITH BAFD:

BAFD- What you love to wear? 
  ▪️SH- I love to wear sundresses if I get the chance to.

 BAFD- Your favourite brands? 
▪️SH- Lululemon.

BAFD- What is your favourite food and hobbies? 
▪SH- ️Chocolate covered strawberries, I love to paint, ride my horse, be with my dog and family.

 BAFD- Who is your fashion icon? 
▪️SH- I wouldn't say I have a fashion icon I like to take ideas from multiple people, I usually end up just wearing leggings and a t shirt though!

  BAFD- Who is your favourite artist? 
▪️SH- Chainsmokers.

Beauty is being confident in your own skin and knowing we are insanely beautiful. 

BAFD- What is beauty according to you? 
SH- Beauty according to me is being confident in our own skin and knowing we are insanely beautiful with AND without makeup, smiling, rocking whatever their wearing and whatever their doing.

SOME EXTRA INTERESTING FACTS OF SOPHIA HERZOG: (extracted source)

Event(s): 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 200m IM

Classification: S6, SM6, SB6

Height: 4-0

Weight: 80

Team/Club: United States Resident Team

Coach(es): Nathan Manley

Paralympic ExperienceOne-time Paralympian (2016); One-time medalist (1 silver)Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, silver (100m breast), 6th (200m IM)

Other career highlights: 2015 Parapan American Games, silver (100 breast, 200 IM, 20 pt. 4x50 relay), bronze (50 free)2015 CanAm Para Swimming Championship, gold (50m fly), silver (400m free, 100m free, 100m breast, 50m free) 

Thanks for the read!