STAMFORD, Connecticut — While the pool has long been Mallory Weggemann's stage, now there's also the studio.
Weggemann, a Paralympic swimmer and Minnesotan, is the first Paralympian to host Olympic coverage for NBCUniversal.
"First Paralympian to host for their Olympic coverage and then, as far as we know, I'm also the first individual to host who is disabled," said Weggemann during an interview from NBC Sports in Stamford, Connecticut.
Weggemann hosts live on E! throughout the week from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET and then on CNBC and E! on the weekends.
"For so long after my paralysis, when I was paralyzed in 2008, I looked to the world around me yearning to see myself represented. Far too often, disability is left out of media and there's not individuals with disabilities on camera, or frankly, even behind camera," Weggemann said.
She went on to say, "In that conversation of representation, it's so hard to become what you can't see... it gives a little bit more meaning to what it is that I'm doing here and it allows me to know that not only am I filling that void for that younger version of me who carried this big, audacious dream for so long, but I'm also, hopefully by proxy, creating a path forward for other people to have that dream, as well."
Weggemann's interview with KARE 11's Heidi Wigdahl took place Thursday morning after seven hours of Olympic coverage.
"This is usually my time to regroup. I eat... I'm still breastfeeding Charlotte (Weggemann's 16-month-old daughter) so I pump and I flip my brain and I get ready to head to the pool," she said.
The five-time Paralympic medalist is not only hosting, but training for the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at the end of the month.
"Never my wildest dreams did I think that this is how I would see myself coming into hosting during Olympic Games while also simultaneously pursuing my fourth Paralympic Games and in less than a month fighting to defend that Paralympic gold medal," Weggemann said.
On this particular day, Weggemann has a two-hour workout in the pool that will then be followed by an hour of weight training.
Her husband and daughter are also in Connecticut while she hosts and will soon be cheering her on in Paris.
"It's so special to show our daughter that you don't have to be one thing," Weggemann said. "I think it's just that reminder that we are allowed to be more than one thing as individuals, and especially as women. That other level of just showing her that motherhood truly is a comma and not a period. There are so many aspects of my identity that I'm so proud of at this stage."