Tyler Wright reveals balance issues forced her to skip Brazil ahead of Paris Olympics

The injury mystery around surf star Tyler Wright has been solved and despite sounding scary she says she’s never felt better ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Australian surf star Tyler Wright has revealed balance issues that were a side-effect of head knocks were behind her recent withdrawal from an event in Brazil but she was feeling “as good as I have in my life” ahead of her Olympic debut.

Wright, who had significant off-season surgery to address a breathing issue that had plagued her for several years, was told to “go home” and not surf the World Surf League’s Rio Pro at the end of June due to what had been an unidentified injury.

Speaking on Thursday, Wright, ranked 10th, revealed “too many head knocks” had caused issues with her balance and she returned to Australia to get treatment to ensure she was ready for the Olympics.

“I’ve struggled this season with adapting only because I got hit in the head and I’ve still got a fair few screws in my head (from her surgery). It’s all going well,” she said.

Tyler Wright in May made the quarter-finals in Tahiti, site of the Olympic surfing. Picture: Ed Sloane/World Surf League

“I have been injured a couple of times this year which means that it’s been hard to push through a few things. Pulling out, I was kind of just told to come home and reset and get the treatment I needed instead of staying on the road.

“It happens when you get hit in the head a few too many times, I have a little bit of trouble with my balance. I had one earlier in the year, then I had a little knock again. I have had inner-ear issues that started in November last year.

“It’s just my body making the adjustments and when you get the (skull) expansion (surgery) it does put different pressure on your skull as well. Then it also has changed the way my neck is. I’m working with it. It’s changing but it’s going well.

“It’s the best I have felt probably throughout my entire life, so that’s incredible, and recovering really well which has always been a struggle of mine. Everything is looking on the up.”

It's official! Ethan Ewing, Jack Robinson,Tyler Wright and Molly Picklum have now officially qualified for Paris 2024.
We're stoked such an amazing surfing team will represent Australia at the Olympics.
More here: https://t.co/Q3yDeNRfQUpic.twitter.com/gL42lL6GwT

— Surfing Australia (@SurfingAus) May 9, 2024

Wright is the second member of her family to become an Olympian after her brother, Owen, made history by winning Australia’s first surfing medal, a bronze, at the Tokyo Games.

But when asked if she’s asked her brother for tips or advice, Wright, a two-time world champion in her own right, was blunt.

“No,” she said

“This experience is my own, for me. We are in a good crew with this Olympic campaign. Every year is different, but no.”

Wright joins world No.4 Molly Picklum as well as jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing on the Australian team, with the surfing to be staged at the famous Teahupo’o wave in Tahiti, where all four Aussies competed earlier this year.