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Royal Navy submariner going for gold at Winter Paralympics
8 March 2018
Royal Navy submariner Brett Wild is going for gold at the Paralympics in South Korea. Brett acts as a guide for visually-impaired skier Millie Knight and the two are among 17 British athletes looking for success at the games.
The British team have been acclimatising in the High 1 ski resort in Jeongseon County ahead of the games in Pyeongchang.
"It was absolutely brilliant to travel out to Korea so early and to be able to acclimatise and get used to the completely different snow conditions," said Brett.
"Millie doesn't travel well so being able to have the extra few days could make all the difference. We will now go into the races fresh and able to do our best.
"The snow conditions are completely different here in Korea to anything else we have trained for the last two years. Most of the snow is manmade so it can feel a little like skiing in an indoor snowdome."
Brett and Millie are competing in the Downhill, which begins on Saturday.
Millie said: "Our first downhill training run went fantastically. I was very nervous returning to this hill after crashing here last year and getting the concussion here. Today felt great and I gained so much confidence. I cannot wait to race it now."
It's such an honour to be representing the Royal Navy here as well as the British Paralympic Association and Great Britain. I hope Millie and I can make everyone proud
Last year at the Paralympic Test Event Millie crashed through the finish line, resulting in a severe concussion keeping Millie her off the snow for almost five months.
It's been a challenging season for the pair trying to get back to the form that saw them become Britain's first ever Snowsport World Champions. Speed races in Canada saw the pair back onto the podium and Brett believes this was the confidence they needed coming into the games.
Brett added: "This season was very challenging mentally for Millie and I. To go from winning most races to being 25 seconds behind was really difficult.
"But we just continued to work hard together at all times - in the gym, on the slopes and with our fantastic sport psychologist. To get back in the podium at the last races of the season was absolutely brilliant for Millie's confidence. This reassured her that she can be up there with the best in the world.
"We attended the British Paralympic Team welcome ceremony in the village. When the British flag was being raised with the National Anthem playing it made me realise how lucky I am to be here.
"It's such an honour to be representing the Royal Navy here as well as the British Paralympic Association and Great Britain. I hope Millie and I can make everyone proud."