THE WHITE TIGER TACKLES TOUGH TIMES

Published Fri 23 Aug 2024

At the end of Tokyo 2021, Chad Perris contemplated calling time on his 11-year long international athletics career. Now, three years later The White Tiger is feeling his best and lacing up his shoes for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

Perris (ACT Athletics, Matthew Beckenham) is no stranger to Australian athletics fans, having made his Australian Team debut in 2013, only a year into his athletics journey. Since then, his success has captivated audiences across the country.

Breaking a 28-year-old national T13 200m record on his Australian debut saw Perris nominated for the Para Athlete of the Year award alongside powerhouse teammates, Kurt Fearnley and Michael Roeger.

Launching from there, Perris has had an enviable career with seven Australian teams, a Paralympic bronze medal in Rio and four World Championship medals.

Returning to Tokyo for his second Paralympics, Perris just missed the podium in the T13 100m final, with a stacked field signaling the sport’s growing depth and the West Australian having to settle for fifth.

Tokyo would prove to be a critical reflection point for Perris. Upon returning from the Games he took time to reflect on where he was and where he was going.

“I guess I was in a really dark place mentally and I contemplated retirement around that time,” said Perris.

“I ended up changing coaches and I think that changing to my coach now, Matt Beckenham, was something that [helped me find]... a love for the sport again.”

The new outlook would be key. Beckham and Perris reevaluated training and competing with a fresh perspective, which allowed Perris to start “enjoying my athletics more.”

“I think I have gotten to a point now where I have realized the end result is a race that lasts for 11 seconds, [which is the product of a]... journey that [lasts] three years. [There are] weeks and months and years in between that you can’t discount along the way.”

“I didn’t want to retire, I still felt like I had stuff to give, and I clearly think I made the right decision now.”

And the right decision it was. In 2023 the T13 sprinter found a new gear and top speed to become Australia’s fastest ever Paralympic Athlete. With a newfound love for his sprinting and an Australian record in his back pocket, Perris set off to Paris for the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships where he placed fourth, missing the podium by just 0.01 seconds.

12 months on, Perris will find himself back in the City of Lights for the 2024 Paralympics and this time sharing the experience with his younger brother Kane Perris.

Chad’s return to the track alongside Kane’s debut as a cyclist will mark a new chapter in their sporting careers, one they are eager to experience together.

“My parents have been instrumental in my career and the support that they’ve given throughout my life.”

“I think there is a lot of people with disabilities that get sheltered a lot by their parents and they don’t get out there to the world like I have had the opportunity to do.”

The Perris brothers are driven by a mission to encourage others with disabilities to step out into the world and pursue their dreams.

“I just hope that the people see the journey Kane and I have been on and are able to take some inspiration from that.”

The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games are set to take place from the 29th of August to the 8th of September, with the athletics action getting underway from the 30th.    

To follow Chad’s journey and stay up to date with the Paris Paralympics schedules, results and updates, follow the Athletics West Facebook and Instagram pages.