Second lap for Kimberlee
T V One sports reporter Kimberlee Downs may well feel she has competed in her own marathon by the time she has finished with Rio De Janeiro. Not only has she been there covering the Summer Olympics but she is staying on to cover the Paralympics, as well.
“I’ve got a couple of weeks off in between,” says Kimberlee. “I’m loving the experience. It’s my first Olympics and obviously Rio comes with plenty of well-publicised problems, but by and large I’m very much enjoying it.
“When it comes to Olympics and Paralympics, that’s kind of the pinnacle of any sports journalist’s career. And the Paralympics will present quite a different opportunity because TVNZ are rights-holders, so we should have more access. And that, I think, will take it up a whole other level.”
Does she have any particular favourites when it comes to Paralympic events?
“I’m quite partial to the swimming,” she says. “Probably because that’s what I know best. You can’t really look past Sophie Pascoe, can you? An absolute champion – has been for years. I can’t really see anyone beating her in the pool. I think it’s quite nice that we have reached the stage where people recognise what a remarkable athlete she is, and her achievements.”
Kimberlee doesn’t think that the target of 18 medals for New Zealand Paralympic athletes in Rio is overly ambitious, as the selection criteria just to be there is high. Long gone are the days when just competing was achievement enough.
As with the main Olympics, Kimberlee will probably be rushing around from venue to venue too much to enjoy watching the Paralympic Games herself.
“It’s one of those things I think that you accept you are going to work very long days and you love every moment of it and the adrenalin pushes you through.”
Just a taste, no doubt, of what the athletes themselves will be feeling.