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Haven Shepherd

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Haven Shepherd
Personal information
Birth nameDo Thi Thuy Phuong
Born (2003-03-10) March 10, 2003 (age 21)
Quảng Nam province, Vietnam
Sport
SportSwimming
ClassificationsS8
Medal record
Representing  United States
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago 200m individual medley SM8

Haven Shepherd (born March 9, 2003) is a Vietnamese-American Paralympic swimmer.[1][2] In 2018, she was included on the BBC 100 Women list.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Shepherd was born Do Thi Thuy Phuong in Quang Nam province, Vietnam after her parents had an affair.[4][5][2] When she was 14 months old, her parents died in a bomb explosion, either as a double suicide or as a murder-suicide perpetuated by her father.[4][5] Although Shepherd was also intended to die in the explosion, she was instead blown 40 feet away and only sustained damage to her legs.[6][7] An older half-sister also survived the explosion.[4][5] Shepherd was brought by her grandmother to a hospital in Da Nang, where both her legs were amputated.[4][5] At age 20 months, she was adopted by an American couple from Carthage, Missouri, who had six older children.[5][6]

Shepherd learned to swim by age 3.[6] She was homeschooled.[1]

Athletic career

[edit]

Shepherd began swimming competitively at age 10.[6] By the time she was 13, the US Paralympic team began tracking her as a potential candidate based on her times.[5]

She came in second in her event at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.[8]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Shepherd came fifth in the Women's 200m Individual Medley SM8.[7][6]

Shepherd won a gold medal at the 2023 Parapan American Games in the women's 200m individual medley SM8. Prior to her win, she came fourth in the backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke 100m events, and seventh in the 50m freestyle.[8][9]

In April 2024, Shepherd participated in an ad campaign for Reese's.[10] Shepherd is set to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.[11]

Personal life

[edit]

Shepherd uses prosthetic legs.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Haven Shepherd". www.teamusa.com. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Finding safe Haven: Suicide prompts swimmer's family journey". AP News. November 23, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?". BBC News. November 19, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e Gregorian, Vahe (August 22, 2021). "From bomb survivor in Vietnam to life in Missouri, this paralympian is a living miracle". Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "The girl who was never meant to survive". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wang, Selina; Ramsay, George (September 1, 2021). "Paralympian Haven Shepherd on surviving a family suicide and the 'gift' of being an amputee". CNN. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Haven Shepherd – the US swimmer who survived a family suicide attempt to become a Paralympian". olympics.com. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Dumlao, Ros (November 24, 2023). "Patience pays off for Haven Shepherd who grabs her first gold at Santiago 2023". www.usparaswimming.org. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  9. ^ "Roundup: Swimmers Return Home From Santiago With Full Hearts, Lots Of Memories". www.usparaswimming.org. November 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  10. ^ "Reese's unveils medal candy to support Team USA". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. April 10, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "On Her Mark: Catching up with Paralympic swimmers Jessica Long and Haven Shepherd". NBC Sports Boston. May 21, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
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