Who
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Style
  • Health
  • Beauty
  • Sexiest People
  • The Travel List
  • streaming
  • Video
Who
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Style
  • Health
  • Beauty
  • Sexiest People
  • The Travel List
  • streaming
  • Video
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE: How SAS Australia star Jessica Peris overcame her "lowest point"

Jessica reveals what's driving her forward. - by Naomi Toy
  • 30 Sep 2021

Athlete Jessica Peris has a fire burning inside her that she hasn’t felt in years.

“I’ve shown myself that I’m capable of anything if I put my mind to it,’’ the SAS: Australia star tells WHO from her Darwin home.

WATCH: Sam Burgess gets emotional on SAS Australia

{title} Play

{title}

{duration}
Louis Tomlinson Calls James Corden Out Play

Louis Tomlinson Calls James Corden Out

0:36
Meet the Dancing With The Stars 2019 Cast! Play

Meet the Dancing With The Stars 2019 Cast!

0:56
MKR Amanda confirms the truth about her scary cancer diagnosis Play

MKR Amanda confirms the truth about her scary cancer diagnosis

0:48
Justin Lacko addresses what everyone is thinking Play

Justin Lacko addresses what everyone is thinking

2:36
MAFS Jules tells: How things ended up with me and Justin Play

MAFS Jules tells: How things ended up with me and Justin

0:31
Celine Dion Has Something to Say About These Startling Photos Play

Celine Dion Has Something to Say About These Startling Photos

0:31
WATCH: Cass Thorburn Flirts With a Mystery Man Play

WATCH: Cass Thorburn Flirts With a Mystery Man

0:55
Tom Burgess Baby Shock Play

Tom Burgess Baby Shock

0:34
FBI (Official Trailer) Play

FBI (Official Trailer)

1:00

Peris’ new mindset, forged competing in Seven’s gruelling SAS: Australia, has allowed her to put her darkest days behind her and look forward to all that the future has to offer – including a comeback to the track.

“I’m a better person,’’ she says. “My whole experience on the show has made me a better person. It’s made me a better mother, a better partner, a better daughter.’’

The sprint star, 31, who is the daughter of Olympic hero Nova Peris, has come a long way from her darkest days, which saw her hospitalised for an overdose on sleeping pills in 2019 after she was forced to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games due to doping allegations.

.

“My whole experience on the show has made me a better person," Peris says.

Channel Seven

While she denied taking any performance-enhancing drugs, the storm that followed the positive test sent her to the depths of depression.

“That was my lowest point,” Peris says of the overdose. “I was in an extremely dark place. When you get to that point you feel worthless, you feel as if you’ve got nothing positive to give to anyone.’’

Acknowledging that traumatic period during an interrogation session on SAS Australia led her to discuss it with her 12-year-old son Isaac as they watched the episode together.

“Isaac grabbed my hand and gave me a big hug,’’ she recalls. “It was quite a raw moment, but it put things in perspective. In that moment I thought I had nothing to live for, but in fact I had everything to live for and that was my son. He’s the person that needs me the most.’’

The mum-of-one says it was challenging having to speak to Isaac about the episode, but she made sure “that he knew that I loved him and I would never leave him alone in the world”.

She adds: “I explained to him that it’s OK not to be OK and that there’s people in this world that love you and will help you.”

Down to the final eight SAS contestants and one of just two women still standing alongside fellow athlete Jana Pittman, the athlete says that going into the show she lacked a lot of self-belief, and has been hampered for years by a fear of not succeeding.

.

Peris admits she was recently forced to talk to her son Isaac about her mental health struggles.

Instagram

“There’s so many things in my life that I haven’t attempted because I feared failure, whereas what I’ve learned now is that only in failure do we grow,’’ Peris explains to WHO. “I’m so much more capable than what I think I am.’’

Happier than ever with her partner Nathan and loving her work at Darwin’s Community First Development, a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community development and research organisation, Peris is ready to see where her desire to compete again will take her.

“It’s sparked a bit of a fire inside of me to make me want to go back and compete on the athletics track,” she shares. “I don’t know whether it will work out in the end, but I would like to see where that takes me.

“I know that it’s not going to be easy,” Peris adds. “But I think it would be one hell of a journey if I did decide to make a comeback.’’

SAS: Australia airs Monday to Wednesday, 7.30pm, on Channel Seven.

Subscribe to Who magazine-& save!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to Who magazine

Subscribe to Who magazine-& save!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to Who magazine

Recommended to you

Louis Tomlinson Calls James Corden Out
Watch 0:36

Louis Tomlinson Calls James Corden Out

{headline}

{headline}

Deadset! Meet the cast of the Heartbreak High reboot

Deadset! Meet the cast of the Heartbreak High reboot

The one reason that The Crown would ‘halt production’

The one reason that The Crown would ‘halt production’

Netflix’s The Crown to make way for potential spin-offs

Netflix’s The Crown to make way for potential spin-offs

Bridgerton Season 3: Everything we know

Bridgerton Season 3: Everything we know

{headline}

{headline}

See what the kids of Stranger Things look like now

See what the kids of Stranger Things look like now

EXCLUSIVE: Elsa Pataky's subtle rallying cry for sexual abuse survivors

EXCLUSIVE: Elsa Pataky's subtle rallying cry for sexual abuse survivors

Adam Demos’ new film is finally here!

Adam Demos’ new film is finally here!

{headline}

{headline}

We finally have our first look at The Umbrella Academy season three

We finally have our first look at The Umbrella Academy season three

Dakota Johnson leads dreamy Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion

Dakota Johnson leads dreamy Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion

Where to watch Derry Girls Season 3 in Australia

Where to watch Derry Girls Season 3 in Australia

Ayesha Madon is leading the next generation of students in the Heartbreak High reboot

Ayesha Madon is leading the next generation of students in the Heartbreak High reboot

What is the cast of Heartbreak High up to now?

What is the cast of Heartbreak High up to now?

The winner of SAS Australia has been revealed!

The winner of SAS Australia has been revealed!

Another recruit down! Every celeb who has left SAS Australia so far

Another recruit down! Every celeb who has left SAS Australia so far

Who
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy
Who Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • marie claire
  • Bounty Parents

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Who

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to Who magazine-& save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to Who magazine