Sophie Pascoe two medals shy of New Zealand Paralympic record

Sophie Pascoe, New Zealand Paralympic swimmer at the Milliennium Institute of Sport in the countdown to Rio. Photo / Greg Bowker

Paralympic swim star Sophie Pascoe stands two medals shy of a New Zealand record at the Rio Games.

After dominating the 200m individual medley in the SM10 final today, Pascoe has won 13 Paralympic medals over three Games, with eight of them gold.

Today's win was achieved in a world record time of 2min 24s.

The Christchurch swimmer has butterfly and freestyle events left this week and if she medals in both, she will have eclipsed the record 14 held by the late Eve Rimmer.

Rimmer, who died in 1996, was paralysed in a car crash at 15. She was an immensely versatile athlete, winning Paralympic medals in javelin, shot put, discus, swimming, archery, and modern pentathlon from 1968 to 1980.

Today Pascoe, whose success has all come in the pool, beat the world record she set in London four years ago by more than half a second, finishing six seconds ahead of Canadian Aurelie Rivard.

Pascoe, who lost the lower half of a leg in a lawnmowing accident when she was three, was chuffed with today's performance.

"To be good at all four strokes and to put it all together in one race is challenging," she said.

"I set the benchmark pretty high four years ago setting the world record with a 2min 25s and to finally turn around tonight and see a 2:24 I am just absolutely stoked.

"I am really relieved and could not be happier to be able to share this moment with my family, friends and support team."

Pascoe has two golds and a silver so far in Rio. In London she equalled the individual Games record of six medals, established by Duane Kale at Atlanta in 1996.