Camille Buscomb

Everyone needs inspiration in life and for long-distance runner Camille Buscomb, that inspo came from a fellow Kiwi athlete. Camille was just five years old when she watched in awe as swimming legend Danyon Loader took home his gold medals in Atlanta back in 1996. At that time, her own Olympic flame was ignited. She started running in primary school, and this year she’ll represent New Zealand in both the 5000m and 10,000m events in Tokyo.

“I was really competitive, but I remember just loving the races,’ explains 30-year-old Camille. “When the gun goes off, it’s just you there and you can go as hard as you can. It’s the same feeling now.”

When she was officially named in the New Zealand Olympic team, Camille explained, “Blood, sweat and tears have gone into achieving this childhood dream.”

As an 11-time national title holder, and 2019 World Champion finalist in the 5000m and 10,000m, where she recorded personal best times, she is now the number-two Kiwi of all time in both events, behind current national record holder Kim Smith, who is now retired. Camille’s list of accomplishments, which includes both road and cross-country wins, is impressively long. She is considered

New Zealand’s fastest female runner.

“Settling into life as a professional athlete has its fair amount of ups and downs,” shares Camille, who hails from the

Waikato. “And the journey is long, taxing but totally worth it.”