Ellie Kildunne is used to operating at full speed – but even the world’s best can be forced to stop.
The England rugby star has revealed she was left stranded in Dubai after airspace shut down, describing the experience as both surreal and unsettling. ‘I feel helpless because I’m sat on a balcony in Dubai when I should be here, there and everywhere,’ she said.
Ellie had been away with teammates when travel disruption brought plans to a halt, leaving her among thousands unable to get home. While the situation was out of her control, the wider context added an extra layer of tension. ‘We haven’t heard bangs since yesterday,’ she says, referring to nearby missile defence activity.
Still, she managed to keep her sense of humour. ‘I’ll probably end up in a rickety helicopter somewhere [to get out],’ she added – half-joking.
For an athlete whose mindset is built on constant movement – ‘Relaxing? I see relaxing as not running’ – being stuck in one place proved particularly frustrating. But if anything, it’s a glimpse of the mindset behind her rise. As she fronts Women’s Health this month, Ellie is still approaching the unexpected with the energy that’s carried her this far.
