Olympic diver Melissa Wu quits SAS Australia

Olympic diver Melissa Wu has revealed the one thing that terrifies her as she dropped out of SAS Australia after a torturous trek.

Olympic diver Melissa Wu handed in her number as the mentally and physically draining SAS Australia selection course claimed another victim.

While “cocky” Locky Gilbert admitted he needed to finish the course so he could become a better person.

Monday night saw the remaining five recruits – retired NRL star Darius Boyd, NRLW player Millie Boyle, motorsports presenter Riana Crehan, Gilbert and Wu – head into the final 48 hours of SAS selection.

The personalities had to gather all their strength for a bone-chilling ice pit plunge and torturous trek through dense mangroves.

And write emotional “death letters” to loved ones.

Melissa Wu chats with chief instructor Ant Middleton on SAS Australia. Supplied

Wu signalled her flagging spirits early in the episode, chatting with Boyle.

“I just feel like I’ve got nothing in the tank,” she said.

“I can’t keep up physically. The last few days I’ve been really struggling.”

Wu added though that “passing selection would mean as much as winning an Olympic medal”.

The five headed to a makeshift ice water pit, at a bonechilling temperature of 2C.

Each had to submerge themselves and then answer a set of rapid-fire questions from chief instructor Ant Middleton.

“The worst-case scenario would be ice for me,” Wu said in a piece to camera.

“I have never enjoyed the cold, it is almost impossible for me to perform that way.

“It’s quite debilitating for me. It’s one of the biggest challenges of diving for me.

“It goes deep into my bones.”

Despite her agony and fear of the cold, Wu passes along with Boyd, Crehan and Bole.

Cocky Locky Gilbert did not and struggled to come to terms with his failure, sharing with his fellow recruits he didn’t miss home this much when he was on Survivor for 50 days.

“Survivor was fun – you might just do something exhausting for maybe an hours day and the rest you’re just chilling,” he said.

“This is so exhausting – emotionally, physically and mentally.

“The fear of failing is really weighing in on everyone – myself included.”

Locky Gilbert uncharacteristically quiet on SAS Australia. Picture: Seven Network

The recruits were then tasked with writing “death letters” to their family. A letter SAS members will write ahead of a dangerous mission.

All recruits broke down as they read aloud their letters to their fellow recruits

The final challenge for the day was in bitterly cold conditions in mangrove swampland.

“It’s easy to be a navy seal on a sunny day,” DS Clint Emerson said.

“Today you’re going to experience why that saying exists.”

Gilbert – keen to redeem himself after his uncharacteristic failure the previous day – puts himself up as leader.

“The only way I will become a better person is if I finish this course,” he said.

“If I quit I will feel like a failure.

“They are going to have to drag my dead body out of the mud because I am not going to give up.”

Melissa Wu, Riana Crehan and Anna Heinrich on SAS: Australia 2022. Picture: Supplied/Ch7

The five have to work together to drag a log trough the muddy terrain in pouring rain.

Wu breaks the tether and separates from the group.

Putting the team first, she handed her number into Middleton.

“I’m just not up to scratch physically,” she said.

Middleton commended her.

“Personal sacrifice is the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

It had been an emotional journey for Wu opening up about how her sister’s suicide had impacted her family.

And physically brutal after she was almost unconscious from a tear gassing.

SAS Australia, Finale and Reunion, Tuesday, 7.30pm, Seven

Originally published as Olympic diver Melissa Wu quits SAS Australia