It wasn’t until a visit to the 2012 London Paralympic Games that she saw what was possible for her future.
Her interest in sport turned into passion four years later while attending a “Run and Play” clinic by [German prosthetics company] Ottobock. Under the tutelage of German Paralympic gold medallist Heinrich Popow, Sofia began learning how to run, thanks to a running blade.
“Heinrich Popow was the one who helped me run for the first time in my life.
“He is the one who I looked up to at the beginning because he has accomplished so much in his life and I had never had an example of someone who had succeeded with an amputation like me.
“Today, I am an Ottobock Swiss Ambassador and I feel really grateful that they believed in me and support me in my life.”
“I had never had an example of someone who had succeeded with an amputation like me.”
Born in London to a Swiss-Spanish mother and a Swiss-Mexican father, Sofia has lived a life across different countries and multiple languages. Fluent in Swiss-German, German, French, English and Spanish, she is able to communicate with almost anyone she comes across, something she says is a blessing.
Sofia’s life motto is “Your only difference is your attitude”. A defining moment for her came when she felt she was truly living and believing this at her first-ever competition.
“I thought ‘Okay I can do that, I can run.’ At that moment, my life changed. My mindset changed and a new journey began.
“As a teenage girl you want to fit in and not be judged if you have something different.
“Every girl had straight hair, so I was straightening my hair. And every girl was feeling beautiful, but I wasn’t feeling that way.
“I felt different. I also wasn’t proud of myself.
“I tried to hide my prosthetic leg as much as I could, I never wore shorts or dresses.
“That mindset changed when I took up sport. It gave me something that I could believe in –myself.
“I love the freedom that running gives me. I only have to focus on myself and I love the feeling of the speed and the wind against my face.
“I tried to hide my prosthetic leg as much as I could, I never wore shorts or dresses.
“That mindset changed when I took up sport. It gave me something that I could believe in –myself.”
Over recent years, Sofia has risen through the ranks of world sprinting and, at 19 years of age, her career highlights include a fourth place at the 2018 World Para Athletics European Championship and a fifth place in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championship.
She was also awarded the honour of carrying the Olympic Flame through Lausanne as part of the Torch Relay ahead of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Now Sofia has one clear goal: the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Summer Games, but admits that the postponement of the Games due to COVID-19 has taken a toll on her.
“The postponement has affected everyone, but not in the same way. For me personally, at first I didn’t believe it. I thought that 2020 would be my year, an amazing year, but it wasn’t.
“I was really sad, confused and had to refocus on myself a lot. I work with a psychologist who prepares me mentally for my races and during the confinement she had to help me more, because my feelings were confused.
“My training was also affected, as I had to train only at home. I was lucky to have a garden where I could move more and run a little bit.
“I spoke with my little team and of course my coach helped me a lot and planned everything again.
“I said to myself that you can’t change the past so focus on the future and the future is Tokyo 2021.”
And finally, what advice would Sofia give to anyone wanting to be a professional athlete?
“It takes a lot of courage, determination and time. You need to set your goals before you begin your journey as an athlete. If you don’t have enough time or determination, then it will be hard.
“My main advice would be to believe in yourself and see every step you take as moving forward to accomplish your goals and dreams.”
“I said to myself that you can’t change the past so focus on the future and the future is Tokyo 2021.”
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