Melissa Perrine facts for kids
Melissa Perrine in March 2019
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| Nationality |  Australia |
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| Born | 21 February 1988 Nowra, New South Wales |
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| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Para-alpine skiing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | B2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Downhill Super-G Giant Slalom Slalom< Super Combined |
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| Paralympic finals | 2010 Winter Paralympics 2014 Winter Paralympics |
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Medal record
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Melissa Perrine, born on February 21, 1988, is an amazing Australian para-alpine skier. She has a visual impairment, which means she can't see clearly. She has competed in four Winter Paralympics, starting in 2010. Melissa has won many medals, including three gold medals at the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships and two bronze medals at the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
About Melissa Perrine
Melissa Perrine was born in Nowra, New South Wales, Australia. In 2007, she was named Young Australian of the Year for her local area. She was also featured on a TV show about the Paralympic Games.
Melissa's Vision Journey
Melissa was born with several eye conditions, including cataracts and glaucoma. Her eyesight has slowly gotten worse since she was very young. Today, she can only see blurry shapes and colors. Despite this, she has achieved incredible things in skiing!
Education and Life
Melissa lives in Welby, New South Wales. She studied Exercise Science and later completed a Master of Physiotherapy. This shows her dedication to both sports and helping others.
Melissa's Skiing Career
Melissa is a B2 classified skier, which means she has a significant visual impairment. To ski, she relies on a special guide. This guide skis ahead of her and uses a microphone and speakers to tell her where to go on the course.
Starting with a Guide
Melissa first competed with her guide, Andy Bor, in 2009. They raced at the IPC North America Cup in Colorado and finished second in the super-G event. In November 2009, she was officially chosen for the Australian team for the 2010 Winter Paralympics. She was one of only two women on the team, which was a big moment for Australian winter sports.
Overcoming Challenges
Before the 2010 Paralympics, Melissa had a fall during a World Cup event in Italy and fractured her hip. But she didn't give up! She recovered quickly and was back on the slopes by the end of the skiing season. She even won a silver and two bronze medals at a World Cup event in Aspen, Colorado, that same year.
Paralympic Debut in 2010
Melissa and the Australian Para-alpine team arrived at the Paralympic village on March 9, 2010. At the 2010 Winter Paralympics, she competed in several events, including downhill and super-G. She finished seventh in the visually impaired super-G and fifth in the downhill.
World Championship Success
At the 2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, Melissa and Andy Bor made history. She won a silver medal in the downhill event, which was the first time an Australian woman had achieved this. She also earned bronze medals in the super combined and super-G events. Later that year, she won gold medals at competitions in New Zealand.
More Medals and a Learning Moment
In 2012, Melissa continued her success at World Cup events, winning silver and bronze medals. At the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, she competed in five events. She finished fourth in the downhill. During one event, she was disqualified because of a small mistake: she had taped her visor to her helmet to keep rain out, which was against the rules. It was an honest mistake, and she learned from it.
Dominating the 2015 World Championships
Melissa had an incredible performance at the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Canada. With Andy Bor as her guide, she won five medals! She earned three gold medals in the Downhill, Super-G, and Super Combined events. She also won a silver in Slalom and a bronze in Giant Slalom. This made her the only Australian female alpine skier to win medals in all five events at a World Championships.
PyeongChang Paralympic Glory
Melissa was chosen for her third Paralympics in 2018. At the 2018 Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang, she won her first Paralympic medals! She earned a bronze medal in the Women's Combined Visually Impaired event with her guide, Christian Geiger. The very next day, she won another bronze medal in the Women's Giant Slalom. She also had strong finishes in other events. Because of her achievements and competing in three Winter Games, Melissa was given the honor of carrying the Australian flag at the Closing Ceremony.
New Guide, New Success
After PyeongChang, Melissa started skiing with a new guide, Bobbi Kelly. Together, they continued to achieve great things. At the 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships, they won a gold medal in the Super Combined, two silver medals in Giant Slalom and Super G, and a bronze medal in Slalom.
Final Paralympic Games
Melissa competed in her fourth and final Winter Paralympics at the 2022 Winter Paralympics. With Bobbi Kelly, she finished sixth in the Giant Slalom. After these Games, Melissa announced her retirement from Winter Paralympics competition, ending an amazing career.
Awards and Recognition
Melissa Perrine has received many awards for her achievements and dedication:
- 2018: New South Wales Institute of Sport Personal Excellence Award.
- 2019: Ski and Snowboard Australia - Athlete of the Year (Paralympic disciplines).
- 2019: Australian Institute of Sport Awards - Female Para-athlete of the Year.
- 2022: Paralympics Australia Female Athlete of the Year.
- 2022: She was a Joint Team Captain for the Australian Team at the 2022 Winter Paralympics and carried the flag at the Opening Ceremony.
