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ParalympicsGB alpine skier Millie Knight can't wait to begin Sochi Winter Paralympic experience after flying out to Russia

Millie Knight, a 15-year-old visually-impaired skier from Canterbury
Millie Knight, a 15-year-old visually-impaired skier from Canterbury

History-making Winter Paralympian Millie Knight can’t wait to hit the slopes of Sochi after jetting out with the ParalympicsGB team.

The 15-year-old visually-impaired skier from Canterbury – a pupil at King’s School – flew out to Russia on Friday, with a stop in Moscow before arriving in the Black Sea resort in the south of the country.

Knight will become the youngest ever GB participant at a Winter Paralympics when she takes part in the slalom next Friday (March 14) and the giant slalom two days later.

Knight said: “We spent Thursday packing, sorting our bags out, deciding what skis we’re taking and stuff, then Friday (was) a flight to Moscow, with another flight to Sochi the next day.”

She added: “It is all starting to become real. I’ve tried not to think about it too much because I might get too stressed and overthink stuff.

“The last few days of watching the Olympics on television has made it kick in, like ‘Oh right... I’m going to be there.’”

Knight revealed she watched the Winter Olympics while training with her guide Rachael Ferrier in Austria and added: “Unfortunately all the commentary was in Austrian so I couldn't understand it, but it all became really real when I was watching it.

“The slopes look pretty steep, but by the time we get to race it will be a bit different. I hope.”

Although she is eagerly anticipating the opening ceremony on Friday night, Knight faces a wait of almost a week before her first action of the Games.

She said: “I would really like to be able to get right into it. I’d like to just get it over and done with so the stress is out the way but it should be good and I know I shouldn’t be stressed.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to go (to the opening ceremony) and I was so pleased when my coach told me I was going – it was the one thing I really wanted to go to.”

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