Olympic diver Melissa Wu has revealed that a back injury suffered while filming the upcoming season of SAS Australia may force her into an early retirement.
WATCH: SAS Australia 2022 sneak peek
In the five months since filming for the brutal reality series ended, Melissa said to Daily Telegraph that she’s been trying to recover from the injury in time to compete in the Commonwealth Games in July.
“I am managing it the best I can and push forward with diving but I have to be really careful about not pushing it too hard because then I’ll go backwards,” she told the publication.
“It is a fine line with how much I can push it so I am taking it day by day. I am not hugely confident that it will get better because it has been five months now. It is a physical issue but if it doesn’t get better, it becomes a mental challenge to try and overcome that.”
According to the sports star, it was during the show’s infamous “beasting” sessions in which the injury occurred.
“It is something that just happened that you couldn’t have predicted,” she said.
“It is all part of it. When you sign up for SAS, you know there is a risk you may be injured. There is a lot going on and everyone is fatigued and tired, doing everything under stress and exhaustion.”
“At this point I am just taking it one step at a time. For the first time in my life I am focusing on short term and going from there.
It’s not the first time a contestant has been injured on the physically-demanding series.
Just last week, last season’s contender, Bra Boy Koby Abberton, revealed that a back and hip injury he suffered last season has left him unable to work or surf, leaving him out of pocket tens of thousands of dollars.
“I went on the show and I really tried to do well — I was fighting fit and really strong,” he told The Sunday Telegraph from his Bali home.
“I did have a previous back injury from five years ago but this is a new injury and it wouldn’t have happened if not for the show.
“The network has tried to help but it’s in the hands of the insurance company and it’s really hard.”
Once again, SAS Australia, which debuts tonight on Seven, will see 17 Aussie celebrities, including Olympians, reality stars and actors tackle the brutal military course.
These recruits will be subjected to extreme physical endurance, sleep deprivation, interrogation and psychological testing – pushing them beyond their limits.
SAS: Australia premieres Monday, February 21 at 7.30pm on Channel Seven.
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