Dire warning ahead of Olympics as Australian surf champ reveals foot almost amputated after brush with Teahupo’o reef

"Well, I'm a bit of a pessimist but this could be really, really, really bad. As in, she could go [die]."

I was on the phone, just yesterday afternoon, with a wonderful writer doing a piece in mainstream magazine about the upcoming summer Olympics. Tahiti will, of course, host the surfing portion right there at Head Place. Surf fans are well-acquainted with Teahupo’o, that gorgeous nightmare that rises from the deep and folds onto an ever so shallow slab. The rest of the world will be introduced for the first time in a few short months and the writer asked me “What could go wrong?”

My answer, “Someone could get seriously hurt.” We take for granted watching the best of the best claw over the ledge, pushing themselves deeper and deeper, but the Olympic draw will feature surfers who have extremely limited experience, there, and also Filipe Toledo.

Now, I was thinking someone getting bonked, hard. I was not thinking about potential amputation due reef cut but that is what stalked Australian junior champ Olivia Ottaway. The young woman was surfing Teahupo’o last August when she “nicked” the reef. Seeming like a minor injury, she didn’t pay it much mind until collapsing while shopping after she had returned home. “I was fine and then legit a couple of hours after I landed back home in Sydney, I went for a swim in the hotel pool and my skin was just feeling so irritated,” she told New Corp.

Her parents rushed her to the hospital and doctors feared that her blood may have been infected. Her mother asked, “How bad is it?” Not exhibiting much decorum, she was told, “Well, I’m a bit of a pessimist but this could be really, really, really bad. As in, she could go [die].”

Pessimistic doctors. Amirite?

Ottaway was a fighter, though, and never wavered during her weeks long hospital stay, buoyed by messages from no less than Steph Gilmore who told her, “I know you’re going to get through this and we’re going to see you back in the surf very soon. I can’t wait to see you back in Tahiti charging again, you’re an awesome surfer.”

Eight months later she was back surfing in competition with the goal of returning to Teahupo’o once again.

Brave and inspirational.

But back to the Olympic Games. Do you worry or… not?

More as the story develops.