Sally Fitzgibbons and Trent Merrin have strength from knowing what other goes through
THEY are the two words surfer Sally Fitzgibbons most wants to hear from fiancé Trent Merrin when things are tough.
Women's sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Women's sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THEY are the two words surfer Sally Fitzgibbons most wants to hear from fiancé Trent Merrin when things are tough.
And they are the same words she says to him when things at the Penrith Panthers aren’t exactly going his way.
Fitzgibbons said the advantage of being engaged to a fellow athlete is the understanding you have for each other when times get tough.
“I just say to him, ‘I understand’,’’ Fitzgibbons said.
“It’s all you need to say because you really do and they know that.’’
Both Fitzgibbons and Merrin, whom she calls her “rock’’, have experienced both the highs and lows of their sport in recent times.
The Panthers stunned with great early-season wins over the Cowboys and Eels but have also suffered agonisingly close losses, their most recent a two-point heartbreaker against the Cronulla Sharks.
“They’ve had such close games, such hard losses, real heartbreakers,’’ Fitzgibbons said.
“But they don’t drop their head.’’
Fitzgibbons says she has also had her own share of difficulties in her start to the 2016 world surfing tour.
After recording her worst ever performance at an event with her 13th in the season opener at Snapper Rocks, Fitzgibbons was laid low with a virus ahead of the next event at Bells Beach.
She rallied to finish second in the event before again falling sick at the third round at Margaret River.
She is now fifth place overall after making the final of the Oi Rio Pro, which moved her ahead of fellow Aussie Stephanie Gilmore, who is sixth, but is behind Tyler Wright who is ranked first after her third win of the season in Rio.
The next event starts at the end of this week in Fiji.
Ranked: Who should really be named SA’s top sporting hero?
We’ve named the top 100 athletes, teams and sporting icons from South Australia. But did we get it right? Rate our full list here.
Matildas loss rugby’s gain as teens help Aussies end long Sevens drought
Grit, a fighting spirit and a pair of young guns - including one that was touted as a future Matilda - have helped Australia end a seven-year-long drought in rugby sevens.