Breiana Whitehead: Why Aussie Olympics star has to carry a KNIFE for her own safety when she's competing

Aussie Olympics prima Breiana Whitehead has been carrying a weapon for her ain information while competing a shape of sailing truthful accelerated it's downright dangerous.

Whitehead, 24, was introduced to sailing by her begetter erstwhile still a toddler - and first began competing aged conscionable 10.

She is taking portion successful her first Games, and fixed nan kite foil surfer tin scope speeds of 80km/h erstwhile driven by beardown winds, a weapon is an basal portion of her kit.

The instrumentality is priceless erstwhile nan emergency merchandise for nan cables doesn't activity erstwhile she gets pulled excessively precocious into nan aerial - aliases if nan cables connecting her to nan sail get wrapped astir her neck.

'This is specified a cool sport,' said Whitehead, who besides wears a helmet to forestall concussion arsenic good arsenic an effect vest successful lawsuit she collides pinch nan vulnerable foil during a crash.

'You still person nan upwind and perceive nan waves. It's conscionable for illustration you are floating. It feels beautiful cool.

'It's why I do it, for that typical feeling.'

And don't deliberation Whitehead is successful Paris conscionable to soak up nan Olympics acquisition arsenic an jock - she wants to beryllium connected nan podium.

The Townsville-born prima precocious announced herself to nan world aft she won nan Women's Formula Kite arena astatine nan Trofeo Princesa Sofia - a prestigious international sailing regatta successful Mallorca, Spain.

Whitehead followed that up pinch a fifth placing successful nan 2024 Formula Kite World Championships successful France recently.

She won a quota spot for nan Paris 2024 Games aft placing 11th successful nan Sailing World Championships held successful nan Netherlands successful August past year.

Away from competing, Whitehead has a grade successful Mechanical Engineering.

The look kite is simply a caller sailing people introduced to nan Paris Olympic programme - and it has go progressively celebrated pinch fans owed to nan precocious speeds generated by competitors.

Whitehead will beryllium successful nan h2o successful Marseille from 8.23pm AEST connected Tuesday nighttime and is considered by bully judges to beryllium a genuine badge chance.