Almost seven years ago, Christina Vithoulkas’ life changed in a split second. A motocross jump miscalculated by just seconds left her with a shattered spine and paralysis from the chest down. She lost movement, control, and the ability to live life the way she once had — but what she didn’t lose was her soul.
“I didn’t need a reason to ‘keep going,'” she says. “I didn’t feel like I was pulled back in life just because I was now paralysed. I had my family and friends and a second chance at living here on earth, so there wasn’t any fight for me. I was already on top of the world knowing I survived something that should have killed me…”.
That deep appreciation for life never left her, nor did her love for adrenaline.
From the age of 19, Christina was chasing the thrill — dirt bikes, freestyle motocross, the kind of speed that makes your heart beat louder than your thoughts. When she discovered drifting a year and a half into her injury, it wasn’t a question of if. “It gave me the same joy that the bike did — but it was safer. So I built my own hand-controlled drift car. It was a no-brainer,” she says.
THE DRIFT TRACK: A PLACE TO FEEL WHOLE
While some media called her the first female para drifter in the world, Christina sets the record straight in her interview with Neos Kosmos. “I’m the first in Australia — maybe the second or third in the world.”
What matters more to her is the feeling. “Being behind the wheel makes me so happy. My brain dissociates from everything and just focuses on me and the fun. That’s why I love it so much.”
Does she get scared? More than she used to. “I always think of the worst-case scenario now. But that’s not a bad thing — it just means I take my time, go slower than others, but still have just as much fun.”
“Drifting allows me to completely forget about my paralysis as I’m out there with my non disabled friends doing the same sport with no restrictions laid on me and it makes me feel like my old self when I was riding”, she says.
“I’M A GREEK STUBBORN WOMAN” — AND PROUD OF IT
When asked whether her Greek heritage has shaped her resilience, Christina doesn’t hesitate: “It’s funny — I used to say to the nurses all the time, ‘I’m a Greek stubborn woman.’ They told me I’d be in rehab for at least three months. I left in seven and a half weeks.”
But the “stubbornness” she refers to isn’t defiance — it’s strength. “To me, it means being a strong, resilient woman who doesn’t need to be told what she can and can’t do. I know what I’m capable of.”
Raised on Greek values — family, respect, appreciation — Christina credits her cultural background for giving her the foundation to focus on what really matters. “You don’t just expect things in life. You earn them. You respect what you have.”
A DREAM MEANT TO BE SHARED
Christina doesn’t focus on long-term goals. “I put all my energy into the now. That helps me enjoy life a lot more.”
Still, there is one dream she holds close: to build more hand-controlled drift cars — not just for herself, but for others, with or without disabilities. “If I can give someone the same experience I had – giving anyone a reason to smile is enough for me.”
To anyone who feels like their life is over after a major setback, Christina’s words are both honest and comforting. “What you’re feeling is normal and okay. But don’t let it snowball. Staying stuck in victimhood might feel easier, but in the long run it’s much harder. Being content takes work. It doesn’t happen overnight. But it can happen. Life can become as beautiful as you want it to be. It’s all about the lens you choose to look through.”
And with that, Christina turns the key, grips the wheel, and sets her sights on the next turn — not just for herself, but for everyone who thinks the road has ended.
