Two-time surfing World Champion, Tyler Wright, is a warrior.
Throughout her career, she’s battled with illness (a nasty bout with Post-Viral Syndrome saw her sidelined for 14 months), coming out as queer, her brother Owen Wright’s near career-ending brain injury…and not to mention, her competition.
But now, Wright’s talking about another struggle in her hunt for surfing greatness.
Per an Instagram post, Wright said she was hospitalized three days before the recent Surf Ranch Pro; she wrote:
“It’s hard when you put so much work into something, you feel great and then you have a period so horrible it hospitalises you 3 days out from an event. Competing after those 3 days of being mostly bedridden and unable to eat was the harsh reality of navigating my period while meeting requirements in my professional career.
“At times it’s deflating physically and emotionally, feeling like you have no say in it. Managing my period has been a journey. I’ve come along way from my teen years, not even knowing it wasn’t normal to suffer monthly excruciating pain that would lead to passing out, vomiting and hours on the toilet. These days my period management looks like a customised training program based around the 4 menstrual stages, listening and planning carefully for what my body needs – even if that means less time practicing in the water before comps, prioritising sleep and recovery leading up to my period and being aware this is the time I am at highest risk of injury.
“At this stage in my life I am also heavily reliant on painkillers while I menstruate. They aren’t ideal but my other option is to have surgery to try find and fix the reason for these debilitating periods. The surgery isn’t a guaranteed solution and I would have to take time off from competing as well as rebuilding.
“I’m proud to work with the team I’ve curated who support me listening to my body and putting my needs first.”
And yet, she’s still ranked second on the CT. Like we said, warrior.
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