11-year-old surfer gives adorably honest interview, melts hearts online

"I'm really excited but sometimes it feels like I'm going to vomit."
 By 
Elise Cooper
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Sabre Norris is an 11-year-old surfer from Newcastle, Australia, and she's absolutely winning at life.

Sure, she's the youngest ever surfer to compete in the upcoming Sydney International Women's Pro competition event, but it was her interview with Australian breakfast show Today that has set social media hearts ablaze.

Norris' glorious turn of phrase, and down to earth sincerity had the panel, and the internet, in stitches.


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Hand picked by event organiser and Australian pro Sally Fitzgibbons, Norris summed up her feelings with adorable tween succinctness. "I can't believe that out of all the girls in the world she's chosen me. I feel really excited but I'm also a little bit nervous," she said.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna vomit when I get nervous."

Norris told TV hosts she was even looking forward to coming in last in the comp, because of the A$250 ($191) prize money, saying "even if I get last they're gonna do a $250 prize money for last and I really would want to spend it on donuts," she said.

The young athlete also had no hesitation in joking that her former Olympian father Justin Norris has piled on the pounds since his 2000 Olympics Bronze medal win saying "My dad was an athlete but now he's pretty fat. He used to eat like two litres of ice cream every single night and then he had to suck his gut in for photos."

Norris also spoke of her mentor, champion Mick Fanning who has been training the young surfer since she "met him in a sushi shop."

Episode 2- strength and conditioning. @mfanno comes to stay with the @norrisnuts

A video posted by @sabrenorris on

Norris matter-of-factly told the journalists in the studio that "you'd think he's scary cause he's a big muscly guy but he's got a really nice soft heart."

If Norris ever second guesses her future as a surfing champ, she might just have a pretty lucrative career as a TV commentator.

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Elise Cooper

Previous Watercooler Web Culture Intern - Sydney Australia // misc burden on society

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