PERGOLINI Gia

Classification
S13, SB13, SM13 (IPC, 23 Mar 2021)

Type of Impairment
Vision impairment (Athlete, 06 Dec 2017)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (Athlete, 06 Dec 2017)

Impairment Details
In 2014 she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease. The condition causes a progressive loss of central vision during childhood or adolescence. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 16 Dec 2020; Through Gia's Eyes Foundation Facebook page, 26 Aug 2017)

General
UNOFFICIAL RECORDS
At the 2020 US Open meet in Huntsville, AL, at age 16, she swam world record times of 1:05.51 in the S13 100m backstroke and 2:25.16 in the 200m backstroke. However, the records were not officially ratified as the meet was not a World Para Swimming approved competition. "It gave me a lot of confidence, and it got me a lot more excited for Tokyo [Paralympic Games]." (teamusa.org, 24 Feb 2021; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 16 Dec 2020; swimswam.com, 17 Nov 2020)

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
She says her more experienced teammates have helped her adapt to international competition. "A lot of the veterans and older athletes in Para are very welcoming and will take you under their wings. They really make you feel comfortable, and that you belong there. That helps motivate us, the younger athletes, to improve. They kind of inspire us to do better. Going out of the country by yourself when you're 13, that's a weird experience. I was like, 'Oh my god, I'm alone, my parents are gone, and the older athletes are talking me with and watching me, helping me through the ropes'." (teamusa.org, 24 Feb 2021)

FOUNDATION
In 2015 her mother Alice founded the Through Gia's Eyes Foundation. The non-profit organisation raises money to help families with children that have visual impairments lead independent lives. (swimswam.com, 17 Nov 2020; Through Gia's Eyes Foundation Facebook page, 27 Feb 2020)