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

Aussie Olympics star Breiana Whitehead has been carrying a knife for her own safety while competing a form of sailing so fast it's downright dangerous.

Whitehead, 24, was introduced to sailing by her father when still a toddler - and first began competing aged just 10.

She is taking part in her first Games, and given the kite foil surfer can reach speeds of 80km/h when driven by strong winds, a knife is an essential part of her kit.

The device is priceless when the emergency release for the cables doesn't work when she gets pulled too high into the air - or if the cables connecting her to the sail get wrapped around her neck.

'This is such a cool sport,' said Whitehead, who also wears a helmet to prevent concussion as well as an impact vest in case she collides with the dangerous foil during a crash.

'You still have the wind and hear the waves. It's just like you are floating. It feels pretty cool.

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

And don't think Whitehead is in Paris just to soak up the Olympics experience as an athlete - she wants to be on the podium.

Meet Breiana Whitehead - the Aussie Olympic sailor who carries a knife for her own safety when in competition mode

Whitehead, 24, was introduced to the sport by her father when still a toddler - and began competing aged just 10

Given the Aussie's kite foil surfer can reach speeds of 80km/h when it's being pulled along by high winds, a knife is an essential part of her kit

The Townsville-born star recently announced herself to the world after she won the Women's Formula Kite event at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia - a prestigious international sailing regatta in Mallorca, Spain.

Whitehead followed that up with a fifth placing in the 2024 Formula Kite World Championships in France recently.

She won a quota place for the Paris 2024 Games after placing 11th in the Sailing World Championships held in the Netherlands in August last year.

Away from competing, Whitehead has a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The formula kite is a new sailing class introduced to the Paris Olympic program - and it has become increasingly popular with fans due to the high speeds generated by competitors.

Whitehead will be in the water in Marseille from 8.23pm AEST on Tuesday night and is considered by good judges to be a genuine medal chance.