Video: Interview With Katura Horton-Perinchief
Speaking during an interview with another barrier breaking athlete, Katura Horton-Perinchief reflected on the twentieth anniversary of her becoming the first Black female Olympic diver at the Athens Games in 2004.
Horton-Perinchief, who will serve as Bermuda’s chef de mission at the Paris Games, said she is immensely proud of her achievement and hopes she played a small part in inspiring local athletes to chase their dreams.
“To be able to make a little bit of global history with Bermuda across my chest was amazing,” Horton-Perinchief told Clyde Best, the island’s legendary footballer, who interviewed her as part of Bernews ‘The Best Interview the Best’ series.
“To come from Bermuda, with such a small population, and be the first at anything is a blessing and an honour. I don’t take that lightly.
“I’m very proud to have been able to do anything of that magnitude while flying the Bermuda flag.
“I competed in a sport that nobody else did from Bermuda … if you see it, you can achieve it.”
The 41-year-old, who competed in the women’s three-metre springboard event, said she cherishes her memories of walking out in front of 72,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium.
“If you happen to go to the Olympics, you want it to be in Athens – the cradle of democratic thought and the birthplace of the Olympics,” she said.
“My best memory is walking into the Olympic stadium behind our flag. For those of us from smaller sports, we don’t usually get that thunderous applause.
“This was a huge memory for me as a 21-year-old, walking into that arena in front of thousands and thousands of people.
“I remember the nerves and the pressure – they were definite hallmarks of my Olympic experience – also meeting people you only ever see on TV.”
As chef de mission, Horton-Perinchief is responsible for ensuring the welfare of the athletes, liaising with the organising committee on a range of issues, and is a mentor and chief cheerleader for the Bermuda athletes.
“The role is expansive – I’m the logistical head,” said Horton-Perinchief, who performed the role at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia in 2018.
“Plane and train tickets need booking, training camps, uniforms, physiotherapists, and journalists to coordinate.
“Every single notch on the belt to the success of our Olympic team needs checking – that’s on my shoulders!
“As an athlete, you don’t appreciate all the behind-the-scenes jobs that occur without your input.
“You show up, perform, and that’s our goal as support staff – to ensure they’re ready to perform to the best of their ability.”
Bernews will be providing comprehensive coverage of Bermuda’s athletes in the coming weeks, thanks to our sponsors Butterfield & Vallis, Auto Solutions, Clarien Bank and One Communications, and this video is part of our ‘Best interview the Best’ video series, which will be highlighting all of the athletes set to take part in the Olympics and Paralympics.
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Good Luck to all the Bermudian Athletes — and to the Bermudian Para-Athletes who will follow them at the Paralympics two weeks later. Bermuda is proud of you all.