Haven Shepherd

Haven Shepherd (born 2003) is a Vietnamese-American Paralympic swimmer and track runner. She is also a model.

Early life

Shepherd was born Do Thi Thuy Phuong  in March 2003 in Vietnam. When she was 14 months old, her father detonated a bomb that was meant to kill Shepherd and both her parents.[1] She survived the blast, but suffered extensive burns and had both her lower legs amputated below the knee.[2] On November 19, 2004, Shepherd was adopted by Shelly and Rob Shepherd of Carthage, Missouri.[3] She attends local high school and competes both in disabled and regularly abled competitions.[4]

Sports

She is an alumnus of the NubAbility Foundation’s All-Sport Summer Camp program.[5]

In 2014, Shepherd entered her first track and field race. She received a pair of Ossur running feet to improve her running capabilities. In 2016, Shepherd began swimming. [6]

She won two silver and one bronze medals in Lima, Peru in August 2019 as part of Team USA Parapan American Games.[7] [8]In the 2018 World Para Swimming World Series she won 1st, 50m and 100m freestyle. In the 2017 Can-Am Open, Shepherd placed first in the 100 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 IM, 100 freestyle.[9]

She qualified for the Paralympics Emerging Swim Team and is expected to compete in the 2020 Tokyo or 2024 games.[10][11]

Shepherd works as a model for Models of Diversity[12] and also serves as a spokeswoman for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.[13]

References
  1. "Paralympic swimming hopeful Haven Shepherd's journey prompted by suicide". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. November 23, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  2. "Finding safe Haven: Suicide prompts swimmer's family journey". AP NEWS. November 23, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  3. "The girl who was never meant to survive". BBC News. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  4. "WOMEN WHO INSPIRE US // Haven Shepherd". JOLYN Australia. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  5. Hottensen, Chris. "Miracle child sets sights on paralympics". The Southern. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  6. "» Haven Shepherd". www.challengedathletes.org. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  7. "Catching up with Haven Shepherd". KSNF/KODE - FourStatesHomepage.com. October 10, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  8. "2020 Paralympic Athletes to Know: Haven Shepherd". Amplitude. February 3, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  9. "Team USA, para-swimming athletes Haven Shepherd".
  10. "Haven Shepherd shares her story on CBS Sports' 'We Need to Talk': How to watch". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  11. "Haven Shepherd Interview | World Para Swimming". Swimmer's Daily. April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  12. Thomas, Tess (February 7, 2018). "14-year-old Haven Shepherd makes a splash as a swimming sensation and advocate for para-athletes". Medium. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  13. www.friendsofbethany.com https://www.friendsofbethany.com/haven-shepherd/. Retrieved April 19, 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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