VIDEO: Island athlete Kim Murray is hoping for gold glory at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 and is appealing to fellow Islanders to help make that happen.
26-year-old Kim is a former long jumper and won Gold for the Isle of Wight at the 2007 NatWest Island Games in Rhodes. Her jump that day (5.95m) still stands as the Games Record , but injury has forced a change in sport. After being selected from 1000 applicants in the power2podium talent search, Kim is now racing headfirst on a sled and hitting speeds of 130 kph whilst experiencing forces of up to 5G. The new sport… Skeleton.
Up until recently Kim – who lived and went to school in Ryde – worked for the SportScotland Institute of Sport as an exercise physiologist having moved away from the Isle of Wight, however, full-time employment in high performance sport does not fit in with her training schedule for skeleton which involves 14 weeks of training camps over the winter.
Kim said:
“Being identified as having potential in a new and exciting sport has reignited that drive and desire to reach an Olympics; it is an opportunity I want to fully make the most of.
“Great Britain’s skeleton athletes have medaled at every games that the sport has featured. It is my dream and now my goal to emulate my predecessors and win a gold medal for Team GB at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics”.
As previously reported, Barratt Homes have backed Murray for future success.
Kim continued:
“The Program produces champions so I am confident that in seven years I can be on that podium. I currently do not receive any financial assistance for living costs, so to continue on this journey and move closer towards my goal I am looking for financial assistance.
“My target is to raise £2000. This will contribute to my living costs over the next 6 months and allow me to train and compete as a full-time athlete. The money you contribute will go towards UK travel, rent, bills, food, training facility costs and equipment for training. It isn’t glamorous but it will be literally my bread and butter!
“I have never been afraid to dream big and would love to bring a gold medal back home. I am eager to see where this journey takes me over the next seven years”.
You can donate from £10 to £1000 – £10 allows you to become a named supporter, whilst £100 gets you an off-ice training session with Kim. For details and to donate visit https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/kimberley-murray-beijing-2022-winter-olympics/.
Photographs: imacimagephotography
