From a pioneering Paralympian in Wheelchair tennis to an inspirational Para sport administrator and international Para cyclist, few have served their community as richly as Paralympian #150 Tiffiney Perry.
Born and raised in the Waikato, sport has been a huge part of her life for as long as she can remember. Having played a range of sports as a non-disabled person, that passion has continued through Para sport following her accident, and today she remains deeply committed to disability sport.
“You just have to keep moving,” explains Tiffiney, 57. “Whether you have a disability or not, doing sport will make life easier in the long run. I did 40 lengths of swimming this morning — it makes me feel really good. I played tennis last night, we won, and it puts me in such a good mood.”
Raised in a competitive family that embraced all sport, Tiffiney played tennis and was also a competitive water skier. Sport was simply a way of life.
“If I wanted to hang out with my family, I needed to do sport because that’s what we did,” she explains. “It was in the blood.”
In her early twenties, however, her life changed forever after she sustained serious spinal injuries during a water-skiing competition at Clarks Beach in South Auckland. Rather than feel sorry for herself, she adopted a typically proactive attitude and gravitated toward Para sport.
“I was recovering from my injuries at the spinal unit in Ōtara when I heard that Randy Snow, a trailblazing U.S. wheelchair tennis player was coming to Auckland to run a clinic. The two-time Paralympic gold medallist was one of the true pioneers of wheelchair tennis. I went along and it sparked my enthusiasm. I played a lot of tennis when I was younger, so it was natural that Wheelchair tennis was the Para sport I chose to pursue.”
After entering her first Wheelchair tennis competition in Christchurch in 1999, she began a five-year journey that would eventually lead to selection for the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.
Drawing on her competitive drive and passion for the Para sport, she travelled the world playing tournaments in pursuit of ranking points. Earning selection for the New Zealand Paralympic Team for Athens 2004 was a huge milestone.
“It was a massive accomplishment to make the team at what is considered the home of the Olympics,” she recalls. “It was a proud moment. I wanted to make my parents proud, and I know I did that.”
Competing in both the women’s singles and doubles in Athens, Tiffiney continued on the circuit. However, after missing selection for Beijing 2008, she retired from international Wheelchair tennis.
That was not the end of her sporting journey. After discovering handcycling, she was immediately hooked on a new challenge that would also bring international success.
“I found it much easier to hop on the bike and get out on the roads from my house,” explains Tiffiney, who is married to Chris and has two grown-up children, Emma and Jack, who has an intellectual disability. “I love the social camaraderie of Wheelchair tennis, but I also got a big buzz out of handcycling.”
She went on to represent New Zealand as a hand cyclist, competing at three UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships, numerous World Cups, and racing in three New York City Marathons.
Beyond her competitive career, Tiffiney has also played a significant role in Para sport administration. A former secretary of New Zealand Wheelchair Tennis, she has always believed in giving back.
“Once I stopped playing, I didn’t want Wheelchair tennis to fade away,” she explains. “It’s such a great Para sport, and one you can play alongside non-disabled people. I was determined to grow the programme, and it blossomed from there.”
Last year, following a collaborative decision, New Zealand Wheelchair Tennis was dissolved and absorbed into Tennis New Zealand. However, such is Tiffiney’s standing within the Para sport in Aotearoa New Zealand that she continues to contribute and has recently been appointed Honorary Vice President.
Her administrative contributions extend beyond Wheelchair tennis. For more than 20 years, she has held a variety of roles with Parafed Waikato, including Chair and Vice-Chair, and is currently a committee member and life member of the organisation.
Initially getting involved because “somebody asked,” she quickly found a strong community and has taken great pride in helping others with disabilities engage in Para sport.
“I feel we have a really strong Board at the moment, with a real emphasis on youth and bringing through the next generation, which is something I’m very proud of,” she says.
Her commitments also extend beyond Para sport. Her father, Brian Perry, established the Perry Foundation, which has since evolved into the Brian Perry Charitable Trust. Now operating as a family trust, Tiffiney has contributed to a wide range of meaningful projects and is proud to continue her parents’ legacy.
“My dad started the trust with $100,000 to give back to the community,” she explains. “Today we’re much bigger, but with the same goal – to give back. For 13 years, we were instrumental in helping establish the 65km Te Awa River Ride, the scenic cycling and walking trail from Ngāruawāhia to Lake Karapiro, which I’m immensely proud of.”
Always eager to grow, Tiffiney was selected last year for the 12-month Wāhine Toa Leadership Programme, launched by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC). Now nearing completion, she says the experience has been invaluable.
“It’s been great to connect with an inspiring group of women from a range of sports who have competed at Olympic, Commonwealth, and Paralympic level,” she says. “The focus has been on leadership, shaping where you want to go in life, and giving back.”
She hopes to apply that knowledge in her ongoing work with Tennis New Zealand and beyond.
Energetic and passionate, Tiffiney still has unfinished business in the world of Para sport and remains driven by a clear purpose.
“People like me will continue to have accidents and become wheelchair users,” she says. “I just want others to have the same opportunities and experiences in Para sport that I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.”
***For more on Wheelchair tennis go here.
