Chat With A Ninja: Amy Parikka
This article first appeared in the October 2026 edition of the SSG Multisports newsletter.
1. How did you first discover SSG Multisports and what made you decide to join the crew at Suttons Beach?
After school, I was looking for something to fill the gap that competitive swimming had left. I’d been doing pool sessions by myself for a while, but I missed the social atmosphere of squad training. I discovered SSG’s Sunday morning swims during a Google search and knew I’d love it.
It probably took me another couple of years, and the moral support of a friend, to pluck up the courage to actually join. It was a windy, rainy, back-and-forths-only kind of day. But I loved it nonetheless!
2. You balance a full-time role in marketing and communications, Rotaract volunteering, playing percussion, and triathlon training. How do you fit it all in, and what keeps you motivated across so many different passions?
It helps when you love what you do! I’ve always kept myself busy, and I find it impossible to nail myself down to just one hobby.
I love my job. I love being part of my community. I love creating music. And I love the challenge and supportive environment that sport fosters, the opportunity to explore the world, experience beautiful mornings, spend time with incredible people, and celebrate their stories as they do amazing things.
I’m at a point in my life where I have the time and freedom to just be me and live my life, and I’m not going to miss a single day of it.
3. Representing Australia at the 2025 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships in Wollongong (including that Mixed Relay silver) must have been special. What stands out most from that experience?
There’s something contagious about racing and big sporting events, the excitement, the celebration, the nervous energy of everyone realising that this is the moment they’ve been building towards; it’s finally here. Being part of that is extremely special, and it’s not an experience I will ever take for granted. Yes, there is a first, second, and third place (and stepping up on that podium is always an exhilarating moment), but more importantly, there is everyone out there pushing themselves to their limits, just to see what’s possible. And there’s something magical about being part of that camaraderie. Of not just being a competitor, but being a team member and a cheerleader who stays behind to celebrate everyone across the finish line. You might never know what someone went through to reach that moment, but you can guarantee it was pretty special.
4. What first drew you to triathlon, and how has your swimming, biking or running developed since joining SSG?
Triathlon is something I have been interested in since I was little. I remember watching triathlon on TV with my dad during the 2008 or 12 Olympics. The TV was pretty much left on permanently during those weeks, and I couldn’t help but be enraptured by all of the competitions. This was my first exposure to triathlon. And it excited me. Only problem: I was scared of riding a bike. My parents tried to teach me, but stubborn little Amy refused to take off her training wheels and decided that scooters were the kind of life for her. As a teenager, I remember googling if there were alternatives to triathlons that didn’t involve cycling. I discovered aquathlons, but was disappointed that the swim was so short compared to the run!
Years later, after doing some swims with SSG and getting more seriously into running, a friend encouraged me to sign up to Mooloolaba Triathlon. Soon, her old mountain bike was in the back of my car, and I was teaching myself how to ride a bike. Many YouTube videos later, a few dozen scrapes and bruises, and an upgrade to a second-hand road bike, I had done it, and I haven’t looked back since.
5. SSG is known for its inclusive, supportive vibe. Can you share a favourite training or race-day moment where the club community really stood out for you?
Sometimes you’re at a race and deep in the crowd out of nowhere, you hear an unexpected SSG cheer you didn’t know was going to be there. That moment of pure happiness and excitement is always an incredible feeling, the surprise that spreads across your face before breaking into a huge smile and wave. It never fails to carry you through the rest of the race. I still remember seeing Harmony on a random beach as I was diving into the water during the middle of Swimrun Gold Coast. SSG brings such enthusiasm to the sidelines. There’s nothing like it.
6. You have a creative background telling stories through video, design and content. Does that side of you influence how you approach racing or training, or the way you share your adventures?
I love taking photos and using my training as a way to explore beautiful parts of the world. I’ve recently moved to Brendale, and I’ve been using my long runs as a chance to discover a new little pocket of my home each week. It’s something exciting to look forward to every week, and those mornings always fill my cup.
7. What do you enjoy most about the open-water swims and the overall SSG culture?
It’s hard to beat a morning swimming in the ocean. But doing it with 30 other smiling faces around you? That’s pretty top-tier. It always sets you up for a great day ahead.
8. For members who are newer to triathlon or still finding their feet, what advice would you give them?
You don’t need to know how to swim, ride a bike, or run to start. That’s all part of the journey! Challenge yourself to something you didn’t think was possible a few months ago. Everyone at SSG is here, ready and waiting, to help you get started. It might be hard, and some days you might question whether you can do what you set out to do. But you 100% will not regret it.
9. Outside of sport, what do you love most about your involvement with Rotaract and the Queensland Wind and Brass ensemble?
Both of these hobbies stem from my family. My mum was part of Rotaract when she first moved to Brisbane from rural Queensland, and many of the friends she has today were met during her years volunteering, planting trees, going on crazy scavenger hunts, and hosting fundraising events. I’ve grown up with all of these stories, and always knew that was something I would want to be a part of.
I joined Queensland Wind and Brass in the percussion section straight out of high school, but my Aunty first started teaching me piano when I was around six years old. Most of my extended family play piano, so our family gatherings tend to end up migrating to the piano after our tummies are full with a good home-cooked meal or two.
10. Looking ahead, is there a particular race, goal or adventure you’re most excited about?
At the end of the year, I’m doing Hervey Bay Hundy. This will be my first time completing a middle-distance triathlon, and I’m excited to do it with SSG by my side.
11. Is there anything else you’d like SSG members to know about you, or any message you’d like to share with the club?
Just enjoy it. Enjoy every moment of the training, the racing, the highs, the lows. The Saturday mid-ride coffees and Sunday gasps as people tiptoe past the fresh waves. The pre-race pump-ups, race-side cheers, and screams as someone reaches the finish chute. Just make sure you don’t forget to smile for the camera, because you will undoubtedly be featured in a Cherry Bomb soon!
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