Athletes are slowing beginning to arrive in the UK ahead of the Commonwealth Games which officially opens in two weeks.
Birmingham 2022 is one of the first major sporting competitions to be held post-pandemic but with Covid still a real risk, how are the Kiwi team going to manage things?
For sportspeople like triathlete Hayden Wilde, who has arguably had the best build up possible to the Games, one thing that could derail it all is getting sick with Covid - something he's avoided so far.
“If I can survive another two weeks and just get to the start line fit and healthy, I know I'm ready,” Wilde told 1News.
“I just need to get there safe.”
The NZOC wants that for all athletes but with this year's Games being held in a country with no Covid restrictions, chef de mission Nigel Avery said managing risk involved finding a balance.
“We had spectrum from nothing to very, very strict,” he said.
“The challenge with going right to one end of the spectrum and extremely strict was what would adherence be? What would the Games experience be like?”
New Zealand athletes will wear masks with social distancing encouraged along with high levels of hygiene but there'll be no "bubble" - starkly different from the Tokyo Olympics and Winter Games in Beijing.
In the past few weeks Birmingham organisers decided only symptomatic athletes will be tested and in some cases those who are positive can still compete, meaning not passing the virus on is going to require a certain amount of honesty.
“It's really about doing the right thing, protecting the team but we do anticipate that there may not be a high level of compliance from other nations as well,” Avery said.
“So my view is let's turn that into out competitive advantage.”
While many of the 233 named in the team have already had Covid, those who haven't are being especially vigilant overseas.
“If you go to the supermarket or something you're the only one wearing a mask so it's quite a weird feeling and it feels a bit awkward,” Wilde said.
“But you've just got to do what you've got to do and put your health first.”
All in the hope that it'll put him first across the Birmingham finish line too.
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