Anthony (Tony) Steven Christiansen (born 23 October 1958) is a motivational and inspirational speaker from New Zealand who lost his legs as a result of a train accident in his childhood.

He has challenged himself in numerous sporting and business areas, is the author of several best-selling books[1][2] and has appeared in a number of TV documentaries.

[6] He shares his life story and the secrets to his success[3] and encourages his audience to set their own challenges, rather than accept the limitations imposed by their own attitudes and other people's perception.

His father Bernard worked in a timber yard and his mother Doreen was a homemaker who immigrated to New Zealand from England after the World War II.

On the morning of 3 June 1967 which was Queen's Birthday weekend, Christiansen had followed friend Gary Winters and his father Mick to the railway yard near Te Maunga to bag coal for sale to raise money for charity.

As the two children were crossing the tracks, the train shunted backwards dragging Christiansen under and the dual set of wheels ran over his legs almost severing them.

[9] Even before his accident, Christiansen hated water but Franklin and Guthrie were very persistent in teaching the now disabled young boy how to swim.

[10] The following year, Christiansen joined the Tauranga Swimming Club and continued to improve as a swimmer while he became physically stronger.

He set a goal to compete in the Tauranga mayor's annual sponsored swimming race held by the Lions Club.

[17] Christiansen trained for the National Disabled Games in Wellington and competed in wheelchair racing, shot put, discus, javelin and swimming.

In 1972, he was nominated for a New Zealand Herald Junior Sports Award which he did not win but was recognised by the judges who included Yvette Corlett (1952 Olympic long jump champion), Murray Halberg and Don Oliver.

For the next 2 years, he turned it into one of the largest commercial signwriting business in New Zealand and sold it in 1997[4] to begin his career as a professional speaker.

[20] In order to drive, Christiansen integrates a hand control which are motorcycle-style twist throttle attached to a handle, in all his cars.

[20][22] He also competed in the Pre-65 races in a Ford Zephyr Mark III[4][22][23] and made his sprint car debut at Western Springs Stadium in November 1996.

[25] Christiansen was introduced to martial arts in 1986 through one of his children who was taking Tae Kwon Do lessons[4] and he decided to aim for a black belt.

[30] After about 2 weeks of preparations and media interviews in Korea, the group departed for Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and travelled onwards to Arusha in northern Tanzania.

He did not reach Uhuru, the highest peak at 5,895 metres as he admitted in his book that he could not physically go on through the incredibly steep and rough terrain at the summit.

[33][34] He set a goal to attempt to reach 200 mph (321 km/h) on the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, United States.

[33] Christiansen's efforts were filmed by TV NZ for a documentary programme which captured the emotional highs and lows of his Speedweek venture.

Thiele described Christiansen as "strong as an ox" and admitted that he had never in his career met a first-time adaptive skier who did not fall on his first attempt.