>> OVER IN THE POOL, THE JOURNEY
FOR 17-YEAR-OLD ANASTASIA FROM
GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, IS JUST
BEGINNING.
SHE LOST HER SIGHT THREE YEARS
AGO.
BUT HAS RESOLVED NOT TO LET THAT
STOP HER FROM LIVING HER BEST
LIFE
♪
>> YEAH.
I GET A BUNCH OF COMMENTS SAYING
WHY DO YOU WEAR MAKEUP
I FEEL LIKE, YEAH, IT IS FOR
MYSELF AND SHOW PEOPLE THAT I'M
BLIND AND I CAN WEAR MAKEUP SO I
LIKE BRUSH UP MY EYELASHES
FIRST.
I WAS ABLE TO SEE UNTIL I'M 14
SO I REMEMBER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
TO PUT ON MAKEUP AND THE GOOD
THING IS THAT I KNOW KIND OF
WHAT I LIKE IN A WAY
I FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY
THERAPEUTIC AND LIKE CALMING
♪
>> SOCIAL MEDIA WAS A REALLY BIG
OUTLET FOR ME.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED GETTING OUT
OF MY DEPRESSION I WANTED TO
HELP PEOPLE AND SHOW PEOPLE THIS
IS WHAT BLIND IS
BLINDNESS ISN'T WHAT HOLLYWOOD
SHOWS IT IS OR WHAT YOU THINK IT
IS
WHERE YOU HAVE TO WEAR
SUNGLASSES AND JUST BE IN A
LITTLE BOX
I'M AN ELITE ATHLETE, WEAR
MAKEUP, DRESS CUTE
>> HEY TODD?
>> YES.
>> ARE YOU COMING?
>> NO.
>> YEAH.
>> LET'S GO.
>> MY NAME IS PETER PAGONIS,
ANASTASIA'S DAD.
OH GOSH.
REALLY
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN A LIVELY ONE
IN THE HOUSE
ALWAYS ONE WHO MADE EVERYONE
LAUGH.
>> I'LL ACTUALLY PEDAL THIS
TIME.
>> SHE IS A HAM.
A BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG LADY AND SHE
DOES THE TIKTOKS
SHE WANTS TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR
PEOPLE
EVERYONE HAS A LITTLE STIGMA
WHEN IT COMES TO DISABLED
PEOPLE
YOU KNOW
I THINK MY DAUGHTER WANTS TO GET
RID OF THAT.
SHE DOESN'T WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK
AT HER LIKE SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL
BUT SHE IS BLIND
OH BUT
YOU KNOW
THERE IS NO BUT.
SHE IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THAT'S
WHO SHE IS
>> ANASTASIA PAGONIS WITH A
LEAD
BACK ON HER WAY.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE
PRELIMS BUT SHE HAS A STRONG
KICK THROUGHOUT THIS 400
WHEN YOU WATCH KATIE LEDECKY SHE
IS BARELY USING THE LEGS BUT
PAGONIS IS USING THEM A LOT.
IMPRESSIVE.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE HIGH ELBOW
CATCH AND THE DRIVE FORWARD.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ADD ON THE AMAZING USA GOGGLES
ON TOP OF IT.
>> AND THE BLACK CAP WHICH IS
TRADITION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
USA TRADITION IS WHITE CAPS IN
PRELIMS AND BLACK FOR FINALS.
>> SHE IS DOWN TO THE FINAL 100.
ANASTASIA PAGONIS IN THE WOMEN'S
400 FREE.
>> SHE BROUGHT DOWN THE SPLIT.
37 ON THE LAST 50.
I BET SHE GOES FASTER THAN THAT.
>> SHE HAD THE WORLD AND
PARALYMPIC RECORD.
>> SHE LOOKS GREAT, TODD
SHE IS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF
SLOWING DOWN
BEAUTIFUL KICK
COMING BACK INTO THE LAST 50
HERE.
>> IN GARDEN CITY, THEY'RE
WATCHING
RADAR THE GUIDE DOG IN
ATTENDANCE
CAN SHE BREAK THE WORLD RECORD
WE'LL HAVE A GOOD SENSE MAKING
THE LAST TURN TO BRING IT HOME.
>> SUCH A GOOD POSITION.
>> 4:18 MAKES THE TURN FOR HOME.
ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING THE FIELD
HAVE
SHE IS READ OF THE WORLD RECORD
MARK
CAN SHE GET IT DONE IN THE LAST
25 METERS?
>> SHE IS GOING TO CRUSH IT.
>> SHE IS PUTTING IN THE WORLD
AND PUT HERSELF IN POSITION
RIGHT NOW.
IT IS ANASTASIA PAGONIS AND WILL
BE A GOLD MEDAL AND A WORLD
RECORD
>> SHE SMASHES THE OLD WORLD
RECORD 4:54.49
WE GOT HER PARENTS STACY AND
PETER, BROTHER PETER AND GUIDE
DOG RADAR AT HOME WATCHING YOU
DO YOU WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE
HOME
>> HI, GUYS!
I MISS YOU ALL AND LOVE YOU ALL
SO MUCH AND SO EXCITED TO COME
HOME AND SHARE THIS SPECIAL
MOMENT
I WISH YOU WERE ALL HERE WITH ME
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUP
IMPORTANT AND TIME AND EFFORT