Viral Surf Star Sabre Norris Reveals Struggle With Health Problems

The internet’s favourite cheeky Aussie grom has revealed that she is struggling with a rare growth disease, which may require surgery.

The thirteen year old from Newcastle shot to viral fame in 2016 when she was interviewed on The Today Show, after being awarded a wildcard by Sally Fitzgibbons to the Sydney International Women’s pro.

Highlights of the viral clip included her assertion she’d like to spend her prize money on doughnuts and her mocking of her dad, who was an olympic medalist, for eating 2 litres of ice cream a day and getting fat.

During another more recent appearance on the The Today Show Sabre revealed that, after undergoing a year of tests, she has been diagnosed with Chiari malformation, a health condition which causes brain tissue to grow into the spinal canal.

Sabre is a talented surfer and skateboarder, with her sights firmly set on competing in skateboarding in the 2020 Olympics after winning a place on the training squad. However, she acknowledges her heath problems will mean she will have to work extra hard.

“The medical result means I need to show more heart and put in more hours than anyone else,” she said in a youtube video.

Adding that, while she was staying positive, she does “cry in bed a lot,” as she is scared of it getting worse and preventing her from doing the sports she loves so much.

Sabre has also been diagnosed with scoliosis, a symptom of Chiari malformation, which causes a curvature of the spine and can make some physical activity difficulty.

However, currently she does not have any other symptoms, enabling her to keep surfing and skateboarding as much as ever. She even managed to squeeze in a quick session at Bondi skate park before a morning MRI scan at Sydney hospital, which will provide further analysis of her condition.

Cover photo: Sabre Norris // Instagram