Millie Knight set for third winter Paralympics: "I'm a more mature skier" 

She was one of the faces of the ParalympicsGB team in PyeongChang as her thrilling hat-trick of medals saw her take the Games by storm. But four years on and with a third Winter Paralympics on the horizon, Millie Knight admits simply booking her seat on the Beijing plane is an achievement worth celebrating itself. 

“It’s amazing considering the struggles, injuries and challenges that we’ve had. I’m pretty proud,” said Millie - a long-term beneficiary of SportsAid funding. “It’s taken a lot of determination – I still can’t really believe that I’m sat here going to my third Games considering the place where my head was even half a year ago. 

“I genuinely thought: how can I even put skis back on, how can I do it when I know I’ve got so much fear these days? There were lots of times during the recovery when I questioned whether I was going to recover properly - will I get back to 100 per cent Millie the athlete, or even Millie the person? Am I going to get back to the level that I was at? Am I going to be way behind? 

“I still don’t think I’m the same skier as I was in 2017 and 2018. After the crashes, I think a switch changed in my head that I don’t believe will ever be able to be switched back, because I now have the fear that I previously didn’t have. It just creeps in like a bad smell – it’s like a rain cloud over you. Any little bit of confidence that I get it’s like: 'yeah but you might fall, you might hit your head again, you might get another concussion'. 

“It’s just all these doubts and questions that keep coming into my head that never previously came into my head - I thought I’d lost my bottle. When I got my selection letter through, it was quite emotional. ParalympicsGB are becoming like a family now – to represent them for the third time is incredible.” 

Millie has never been an athlete short of resilience and despite those near career-ending setbacks, arrives in Beijing with momentum. After returning from her injury in November, Millie used the Christmas break to accelerate her recovery and soared to a brilliant super combined gold with guide Brett Wild at last month’s World Championships in Lillehammer. 

A bronze in the Super-G – won on her 23rd birthday – helped build confidence ahead of ParalympicsGB’s alpine skiers flying out to their recent Austrian holding camp. Millie and Brett, 29, will compete in five events over the next week but it’s the downhill and Super-G – where they won two silvers in PyeongChang – that represent their strongest podium hopes. 

The alpine ace knows she’s evolved as a skier and admits that enjoying the moment, not medals, is now her number one priority. 

“I’m a different skier now – I’m a more mature skier, who takes less risks, but I work super hard in the gym, so I know I’m strong,” she added. “The experience is what I’m going to these Games for – it’s for the performance to cross the line, standing on my feet with a smile on my face. I know you don’t hear many athletes say that - obviously I’m a competitive athlete and a gold would be wonderful, but that’s very much not our focus. 

“If we come away from these Games without a medal, that’s not going to be disappointing for us – it’s about performing well and being proud of what we’ve done.” 

Millie has always leaned closely on her intimate support network, immersing herself in insight and guidance from both mum Suzanne and guide Brett. Suzanne had barely missed a competition before the COVID-19 pandemic while Brett has steadfastly stuck by her side through thick and thin. 

“Brett has been incredible, just incredible,” said Millie. “There are very few people that would have stuck by me like he has – and it’s been tough for him too. 

“I’ve obviously not been in the right place, physically or mentally either, and he’s never once snapped at me. He’s just been so unbelievably patient, very, very supportive and his whole family have been so supportive and understanding. 

“But most importantly, my mum has been by my side since day one, so all the support has been absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, my mum won’t be allowed out to Beijing, which is quite devastating, really. She’s been at almost every competition I’ve done throughout my skiing career – she’s been a very important figure throughout my entire life. 

“She was in Sochi and PyeongChang – she won’t be at these Games and while that’s quite tough, it means she’ll have to get jet lag back in the UK as she’ll have to be up at random times to watch my races!” 

And what about the impact of SportsAid funding - the pivotal injection of financial and personal development support that’s helped steer Millie to stardom? The significance of the backing is not lost on Millie and with her third Paralympics now just a matter of days away. 

“SportsAid were actually one of the first people who supported me when I started out in my career,” said Millie. “I remember really vividly the support that SportsAid gave me and how they really treated me like an elite athlete. 

“As a very young athlete it was amazing to have that level of support – we went to fantastic workshops with The Duchess of Cambridge, which was just the coolest thing. They also run nutrition workshops, psychological workshops, media training - so SportsAid aren’t just about the financial support. 

“It’s about supporting you as an all-round athlete, and that support and belief is just unbelievable. SportsAid have also helped so much with my mum – she’s a single mum with a girl going through an expensive sport. 

“SportsAid helped her meet other parents who are going through the same thing – that’s so useful for my mum and she felt really included. Things like that which SportsAid provide are really, really lovely.” 

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