After a spinal wire harm left Christina Vithoulkas paraplegic six and a half years in the past, she could not think about a life “doing the identical factor again and again”.
The self-described “adrenaline junkie” was considered one of Australia’s first feminine freestyle riders till a motorbike accident led to finish lack of motion and feeling beneath her T5 vertebra.
A mistimed motocross bounce off a 50-metre steel ramp left her with a damaged backbone, fractured cranium, lacerated spleen, fractured ribs, fluid in her lungs and paralysed from the chest down.
When she remarkably awoke, she had misplaced most of her belly steadiness, all management of her bowels and the flexibility to manage her temperature.
Quick ahead to over half a decade later, and the 28-year-old has discovered the identical pleasure in sport since earlier than her accident — now in drifting.
She found that oversteering a specially-fitted automobile — till it loses traction and slides sideways round corners — provides her the identical rush that bike leaping used to.
The trick is to take care of management whereas the tyres lose traction.
‘Why I like drifting a lot’
Christina Vithoulkas will get a rush of adrenaline from drifting. (Equipped: Christina Vithoulkas)
One of many essential causes she loves drifting a lot is that it helps her overlook she’s “not on the identical degree taking part in discipline as everybody else”, Vithoulkas stated.
In her motorbike days, she competed for over 5 years in native and state motocross titles and was considered one of Australia’s first feminine freestyle riders.
Whereas there are some para male drifters on the market, she understands she’s the primary feminine in Australia.
“That is why I like drifting a lot … I can not consider one other sport {that a} paralysed individual can do the place we’re not separated from the non-disabled neighborhood,”
she stated.
“If drifting grew to become an Olympic sport, I would not should be within the Paralympics.
“I feel that is why I like it a lot, as a result of after I’m on the market, I really feel regular. That is in all probability not a proper phrase to say, however that is precisely how I really feel.
“I really feel like I am not at any drawback.”
Nevertheless, Vithoulkas does drive in a modified automobile with hand controls as a substitute of foot brakes or a clutch.
Christina Vithoulkas says if drifting grew to become an Olympic sport, there would not should be a separate class for para athletes. (Equipped: Christina Vithoulkas)
She additionally drives an computerized, whereas different drivers go for guide automobiles as they provide extra management and exact throttle administration and permit for clutch kicking, a key approach used within the sport.
“Folks inform me, ‘You are in an computerized, Christina, and also you’re doing the whole lot by your arms: brakes, accelerator, driving, the whole lot’,” she stated.
“And when individuals say it to me, I am like, ‘I do not give myself sufficient credit score’. So in moments like that, I’m proud as a result of I really feel like I am on the identical degree as everybody else. I do not all the time really feel like that.”
‘I do get somewhat bit scared’
Vithoulkas obtained into drifting when somebody who follows her on social media prompt she come down and provides it a strive.
She had put apart bike driving to concentrate on relearning methods to stay her life in a wheelchair.
Christina Vithoulkas drives a modified automobile with hand controls. (Equipped: Christina Vithoulkas)
“I simply thought, ‘Hmm, that seems like enjoyable, it is one thing that I’d do. I will simply go,'” she stated.
“It replicated the precise kind of affection and enjoyable and feeling inside my soul that leaping a mud bike did.
“The quantity of pleasure and endorphins I obtained from that dopamine hit … I simply had this epiphany second, that I used to be like, ‘Oh my god, I can nonetheless do one thing that is going to make me take pleasure in life simply as a lot as I did earlier than the wheelchair.'”
Christina Vithoulkas competed in native and state motorbike competitions earlier than her accident. (Equipped: Grant Schwartzkopff)
To get to a degree the place she will be able to compete in occasions is Vithoulkas’s aim, however presently, she participates for enjoyable.
But, it is a harmful sport at any degree.
“I am very exhausting to get scared, although. You gotta keep in mind I used to leap filth bikes … So in a automobile, I really feel loads safer,” she stated.
“Now that I do know what it takes to float, and what it really takes the boys to try this, and I understand how shortly issues can go mistaken … I do get somewhat bit scared generally.”
‘Our complete goal in life’
Now an envoy for Crimson Bull Wings For Life World Run and with the aim of serving to to make drift automobiles for wheelchair customers extra accessible, Vithoulkas needs to maintain pushing to do issues along with her life.
“I can not fathom dwelling my life doing the identical factor again and again, like, I really feel like our complete goal in life is to return right here and expertise all of the feelings,” she stated.
Christina Vithoulkas needs to expertise all of the feelings of life, not simply the nice ones. (Equipped: Christina Vithoulkas)
“Folks wish to be completely happy … However the entire level of life is to expertise different feelings, the unhappy ones, the exhausting ones, as a result of that is, that is the entire level of dwelling.
“As a result of then once you do get these completely happy, enjoyable moments, you simply can admire them a lot extra.”
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