| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (2001-06-15)15 June 2001 (age 24) Māngere East,Auckland, New Zealand |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Classifications | S8, SB8, SM8 |
| Coach | Sheldon Kemp |
Tupou Neiufi (born 15 June 2001) is a New Zealandpara-swimmer who represented her country at the2016 Summer Paralympics and the2018 Commonwealth Games. She won a silver medal at the2019 World Para Swimming Championships and gold at the2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.
Born in the Auckland suburb ofMāngere East in 2001, Neiufi is the eldest child ofTongan New Zealanders Lose and Fineasi Neiufi. She has six younger siblings.[1][2] At age two, Neiufi was run over in ahit-and-run accident and suffered damage to the right side of her head. She suffered bruising on the brain,hypertonia and has a left-sidedhemiplegia and as a result the left side of her brain is smaller than the right, causing slower processing at times.[3] The left side of her body is also smaller and weaker than the right. After the accident, Neiufi had to be taught how to sit, walk and use her arms again.
As a child, she wanted to play netball but had difficulty keeping up with the other players. Her physiotherapist suggested she try swimming, and she started swimming at about nine years of age and competing the following year.[3][4]
Neiufi was educated at Sutton Park Primary School and laterOtahuhu College.[1][5]
In 2011,Paralympics New Zealand selected Neiufi for coaching andHigh Performance Sport New Zealand selected her for their sport services and support programme.[6] In 2016, she was named a reserve for the2016 Summer Paralympics inRio de Janeiro, and was selected in August after fellow swimmer Bryall McPherson had to withdraw through injury.[3] Neiufi competed in thewomen's 100 m backstroke S9, placing seventh.[6]
Neiufi represented New Zealand at the2018 Commonwealth Games on theGold Coast, competing in the100 m backstroke S9, and finished in sixth place in the final.[2]
Neiufi was a silver medallist in the 100 m backstroke S8 at the2019 World Para Swimming Championships inLondon.[7] She won New Zealand's first gold at the2020 Summer Paralympics in the100m backstroke S8 in Tokyo.[8]
In 2017 Neiufi won the Pacific Health and Wellbeing Award at the SunPix Pacific Peoples Awards inAuckland, New Zealand. She also received the 2017 Tongan Youth Excellence Award in the Senior Athlete category from the To’utupu Tonga Youth Trust.[3][9]
