Sophie Soon - TeamSG Swimmer

Sophie Soon, TeamSG Athlete (Para Swimming)

As a national athlete training full-time, Sophie faced significant career challenges. “It was challenging to find a company that understood the importance of my intense training schedule, and the goals I set myself in my sport,” she reflected. Sophie Soon then reached out to spexCareer team in late 2018, looking for a part-time role that can support her full-time training to qualify for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Through spexCareer Programme Office, Sophie gained access to:

• Assistance to fine-tune her resume to bring out her sporting profile

• An athlete-friendly company that accommodated for athletes to work and compete concurrently

spexCareer team helped prepare and link Sophie to meet with several spexBusiness partners, and Toyota Motor Asia (TMA) offered her an opportunity to work in their marketing department. TMA readily accommodated to her training and competition commitments, allowing early departures and extended absences for competition and training camps. This flexibility allowed her to focus entirely on her pool training without worrying about work, and vice versa while in the office. Sophie actively contributed to major projects, such as "Start Your Impossible" and "Toyota Classics", participating in agency meetings, regional distributors discussions and overseas conferences overseas.

“My department includes me in as many bonding activities as possible. Aware of my disability, they ensure all activities planned are something I can be a part of. My most memorable being when we went to see Kumar the comedian.” quipped Sophie.

TMA demonstrates its commitment to championing Sophie’s athletic career through regular two-way discussion with Sophie, developing a customised work arrangement that seamlessly integrates with her rigorous training schedule. This approach enables her to excel and continue to grow professionally as an athlete and at work.

Kenix Loh, Deputy General Manager at TMA, explained, “This holistic approach allows Sophie to thrive in both arenas simultaneously, demonstrating our dedication to supporting high-performing athletes through innovative workplace solutions.”

With such unwavering support, Sophie made her long-awaited Paralympics debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, finishing 4^th in the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB12. She also won her first world championships title at the Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, earning silver and a new personal best of 1:25.89 in the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB12. Sophie went on to clinch gold in the 2023 ASEAN Para Games Women’s 50m Freestyle S13, setting both a National and Games Record. Despite her visual impairment, Sophie continued to pursue her sporting dreams and qualified for her 2^nd Paralympic Games at Paris 2024.