By David DiSomma
New Zealand first began competing at the Winter Olympics in Oslo, 1952, but there's never been a Kiwi compete in the biathlon. Sarah Murphy wants to change that, although she'll be the last of our Olympic hopefuls to find out if she's got a spot.
If you wonder what it means to be a winter Olympian, then ask 21-year-old Murphy - to her it means everything.
"I'm training for the Olympics, and I find out two weeks before the event starts that I'm going or not," she says. "Either the happiest day of my life or the most disappointing day of my life."
Her inclusion or otherwise revolves around quotas that other nations have and whether there will be space for her as a lower-ranked athlete.
She first wore the silver fern in 2008. Her best international result was a 14th at the World Junior Championships.
And of all the Olympics, Murphy says Vancouver would be tops by far.
"My mother's from Wellington and my father's from Canada, so I'm half Canadian and half-Kiwi - a Caniwi."
She started as a cross country skier before being introduced to biathlon.
"When I was 13 there was a programme to give it a try," says Murphy. "At 13 they give you a rifle and you go shoot, and I said okay, yes."
The key to top performance is pacing yourself - going as fast as possible on skis, but still maintaining a heart-rate low enough to fire a steady shot. Never before has New Zealand been represented in the biathlon. Murphy hopes to make history, and beyond.
"I'm trying very hard to develop athletes here for the 2014 Olympics and be really amazing, really proud."
In a fortnight or so Murphy's due to find out. When many of us are enjoying a summer holiday, she's having a tense start to 2010.
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