Paralympian #201 Tupou Neiufi PLY is embracing her transition from Para swimming to Para athletics – and harbours some big ambitions for the future.
The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S8, Tupou returned home from her third Paralympic Games at Paris 2024 ready for a fresh challenge.
“I knew I wanted to try something different, and I explored a few options like Para athletics, Para cycling and Para rowing,” she explains. “While training as a Para swimmer, I would often see Lisa Adams (Paralympian #210 PLY) and her sister Dame Valerie Adams (double Olympic shot put champion) in the gym. Seeing how strong they were and being around that environment inspired me to give shot put a go.”
In late 2024, Tupou attended a ‘Have a Go’ session in Papakura and immediately connected with the sport. It was there she met her current coach, Paralympian #31 John Eden. During the first half of 2025, she balanced both Para swimming and Para athletics before focusing on shot put following the 2025 New Zealand Swimming Championships.
The transition, however, has not been straight forward.
“One of the biggest challenges has been the expectations I put on myself,” says the 25-year-old. “Coming from a high-performance environment in Para swimming, where I was competing at the highest level, it took time to adjust to being a beginner again.
“It was frustrating at first, but having a strong support team, a great training group and an excellent coach has made all the difference.”
While the mental focus and discipline she developed in the pool have served her well, Tupou admits she initially felt “like a fish out of water” in the throwing circle. Living with left-sided hemiplegia, which affects her balance, has added another layer of complexity. She currently uses the glide technique, rather than the rotational style, but hopes to develop the latter over time.
“In the water, you’re supported to some extent, but on land it’s completely different,” she says. “Balance is something I really need to work on by building strength in the gym.”
Training six days a week – split between three throwing sessions and three gym sessions – Tupou has fully immersed herself in her new environment at the “Home of Throws” at Bruce Pulman Park in South Auckland. She believes John Eden is the ideal coach to guide her development.
“I know under his coaching I can make a World Para Athletics Championships or a Paralympic Games,” she says. “He brings a tough-love approach – he’ll tell you straight if something isn’t right, which is exactly what I need. But he also has a softer side and connects with you on a deeper level. He’s a really cool coach.”
Being part of a large and diverse training group – including both disabled and non-disabled athletes – has also been a highlight of her switch to Para athletics. Tupou trains alongside fellow Women’s Shot Put F37 Para athlete Charli Gardiner-Hall, and the pair push each other daily.
“It’s been awesome training with Charli – we really motivate each other,” she says. “Even getting up at 4 or 4.30 in the morning for the gym, it gives me something to look forward to.”
Still early in her shot put journey, Tupou acknowledges she is a work in progress. Her current personal best stands at 9.14m, but her coach believes she has the potential to one day surpass 11 metres.
Next month, Tupou will relocate to Australia, where Eden will continue to oversee her programme remotely, supported by a Melbourne-based coach working with her on the ground.
Looking ahead, she hasn’t ruled out a return to the pool and says the idea of competing in two Para sports at the LA28 Paralympic Games is an exciting possibility. For now, though, she is relishing the challenge of her new discipline.
And her advice to anyone considering a switch in Para sports?
“Just go for it!”
