Sonia is the only member of the rowing team who has attended an Olympic Games, being a member of the team in Sydney where she finished 6th in the single sculls. Married to Sydney gold medalist Rob Waddell, Sonia is the daughter of former All Black Alistair Scown. She is a member of the Cambridge club and represented New Zealand in the 400m hurdles at the 1990 World Junior Athletic Championships.