Ohakune-raised badminton player Donna Haliday is not about to waste almost two decades of preparing for her first and only Commonwealth Games.
She flies to the troubled Games zone in Delhi today, 17 years after first dreaming of playing the sport in the competition.
Mum Jocelyn Cranston and her husband Colin are
heading to Delhi to support her and there's no way they will be unpacking their bags either.
"I hadn't given my safety much thought before the television and newspapers started telling us about it," Jocelyn said yesterday.
Even though she is wary of safety issues, she has made her mind up: she will be in the stands when Donna is chasing gold in the mixed doubles and doubles in Delhi.
Donna, 29, who now coaches badminton in Auckland and is happily married to former national badminton rep Andrew Haliday, became enchanted with the game when she was 12.
"Some of the top players came to our little club and Donna just fell in love with it," said Jocelyn.
"Ever since, she has dreamed of playing at the Commonwealth Games.
"And now it's going to happen, she's not going to turn down the chance. She'll be heartbroken if it doesn't go ahead."
Donna was told she had to leave Ohakune at a young age if she wanted to be seriously considered for national honours. And that she did, aged 16.
She has been a winner on the world badminton stage, taking the mixed doubles and doubles titles at the Australasian champs a few years back. She is ranked 30 in the world in both events and is No1 in both nationally.
Jocelyn is going to Delhi prepared. Her sister is a pharmacist and she has loaded up on all the necessary tablets.
