Aussie surfing world champion Tyler Wright reveals why she’s over the moon about having seven screws inserted into her head
- Tests and scans revealed a respiratory problem in Tyler Wright
- The Australian surfer underwent surgery and now has seven screws in her head
- Ready to compete at a higher level, the Paris Olympics also await
Two-time world surfing champion Tyler Wright will head to the Paris Olympics later this year on cloud nine after having seven screws placed in her head to treat a serious health problem.
Wright, 29, made the surprising revelations about her off-season surgery – which will significantly improve her breathing – after reaching the quarter-finals at Portugal’s Rip Curl Pro.
Medical battles have been a constant for Wright throughout her career since she announced herself to the surfing world by winning the Beachley Classic at North Steyne on Sydney’s northern beaches in 2008, when she was just 14.
Wright suffered a debilitating bout of post-viral syndrome that left her bedridden in 2018, but returned to the professional tour and finished third in the 2023 world championships.
She also had severe menstrual pain, which led to her being hospitalized at one point last year.
Two-time world surfing champion Tyler Wright (pictured at the Pipeline Break in Hawaii) will head to the Olympic Games in Paris later this year with seven screws in her head
Wright (pictured left with wife Lilli) believes she can take her surfing to new heights after extensive tests and scans revealed a serious problem with her airways
The ominous news for her rivals is that Wright is confident she can now take her surfing to new heights after extensive tests and scans ultimately revealed she has a serious respiratory problem, which was treated with the help of the screws.
Incredibly, Wright was able to continue competing despite the condition often leaving her “short of oxygen and semi-suffocating.”
“I’ve had quite a few doctors and specialists tell me they don’t know how to do what I do,” she said.
‘According to my brain scans and my anatomy, I shouldn’t be able to do what I do.
‘It’s really unusual that I’m competing with the respiratory problem as a professional surfer.
‘We eventually found out through one of the specialists that I usually have too little oxygen, that I am half suffocating through my nose all the time, and that my airways are very small.’
Wright explained that the screws were inserted as part of a maxillary palatal expander, a device that widens the mouth.
“Essentially I have seven screws in my head, between nine and 17mm (in length) and in the off-season I expanded them,” she said.
“Essentially the bone broke and that gave me 7mm (added airway space).”
Wright won back-to-back WSL titles in 2016 and 2017 before being forced to retire for 14 months while battling chronic fatigue and emotional breakdowns.
She will be chasing Olympic gold in July as surfing makes its debut at the Games.
But with limited swell in Paris, the famous break at Teahupo’o in Tahiti is the location.
“Honestly, the surgery has been life-changing, it’s the healthiest I’ve ever felt,” Wright said.
‘I have to work on a new system for thirteen years, it’s confusing and it messes with my head a bit. But I’m working through it, and I have great support and great doctors.
“It’s been really successful and life-changing, but it’s also a multi-step process.”