Paralympic champion and world record holder Anastasia Pagonis is set to star in the next episode of the new Fuse TV show, “Like a Girl,” which takes a deep dive into the issues that elite female athletes face both in their sports and outside of competition.
The 18-year-old Long Island native has built up hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and millions on Tik Tok posting videos with the goal of “changing the way you ‘see’ the visually impaired.” Now Pagonis is slated to make her television debut on Wednesday with her episode airing at 10 p.m. EST.
“It’s so important to put the focus on issues that aren’t normally talked about,” Pagonis told SwimSwam. “I would love to see more companies and brands come out and support and sponsor Paralympians for their elite athletic abilities while overcoming a disability. All elite athletes work with every fiber to get where they are. But when you have a disability, it’s incredible to see the strength and perseverance of these athletes finding a way to be elite athletes while making adjustments for their disabilities.”
The series has already featured three-time Olympic volleyball medalist April Ross, Olympic skateboarder Jenn Soto, transgender NCAA champion hurdler Cece Telfer, and professional soccer player Madison Hammond since premiering on March 29. So far, it has explored topics such as mental health, body image, and gender and race inequality.
“I want to be a sports agent so I can get us women and us Paralympians the money and the work we deserve,” Pagonis said in the trailer for the series released last month.
After becoming blind by 14 years old and going through a deep phase of depression, Pagonis transitioned to para swimming and broke her first American record in the S11 500 free (5:52.45) back in November of 2020. A couple months later, she added four more American records to her tally in the 100 free (1:01.41), 200 IM (2:36.27), 200 free (2:13.96), and 100 fly (1:11.37). At the 2021 Olympic Trials, she set the world record in the S11 400 free and went on to lower it to 4:45.49 during her gold medal win at the Tokyo Olympics later that year — at just 17 years old.
According to Swimming World Magazine, Pagonis suffered a concussion that kept her out of the water during the winter and has put her ability to compete at this summer’s World Championships in question. However, she’s still confident heading into the Paris 2024 Olympics.
You got this, girl!
Xoxo