Being 13 is difficult for anyone, especially if you add being famous in the mix, but one young girl is handling it with grace.
Sabre Norris is known around the world thanks to a video that went viral of her making fun of her dad, former Olympic swimming medallist Justin Norris, in a post-surf interview two years ago.
Now the Newcastle local wants to compete as a skateboarder in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but she is facing some hardships along the way.
Speaking to FEMAIL she revealed how she has dealt with fame so far and how she lives with a life changing disease.
‘Sometimes I get a big head and think I’m better than everyone else but I’ve got my family to pop it when it needs it,’ she said.
Speaking to FEMAIL Sabre Norris, 13, revealed how she has dealt with fame so far and how she lives with a life changing disease
‘I’m lucky because they’re there to tell me to stay focused, because that’s not a good characteristic to have,’ she added.
Since the first viral video, Sabre has been on numerous Australian programs and was even a guest on Ellen.
‘My family keep me grounded because sometime’s it’s easy to get caught up in it,’ she explained.
‘If I want to do well I have to focus on being the best person that I can be.’
Sabre has enjoyed skateboarding for as long as she can remember, which is encouraged by the fact that her siblings love it too
‘I’ve been trying really hard to become better so I can compete in Tokyo but the best part is that I’m doing what I like to do with my brother and sister,’ she said
Sabre has enjoyed skateboarding for as long as she can remember, which is encouraged by the fact that her siblings love it too.
‘I’ve been trying really hard to become better so I can compete in Tokyo but the best part is that I’m doing what I like to do with my brother and sister,’ she said.
‘Thinking about [Tokyo] makes me feel nervous but I know that I have to train hard for it – I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics like my dad,’ Sabre continued.
‘He told me they have a thing like a food hall with all different types of food, that’s a bit of my motivation to go there.’
Earlier this year Sabre was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, which could effect her Olympic chances in the long-run
Earlier this year Sabre was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, which could effect her Olympic chances in the long-run.
‘It’s when your brain is too big for your skull so it is pushed down your spinal canal and you can have some bad side effects,’ she explained.
‘We don’t know what’s causing it so the doctors want me to get an MRI scan every six months so we can monitor it.’
At the moment Sabre isn’t experiencing any side effects, but she aims to stay humble and positive in the hopes that it will help.
Sabre told FEMAIL that the main thing keeping her grounded is her family
‘My family are always offering me hugs if I need it because they know that makes me feel better,’ Sabre (far right) said
‘You can lose control of your bladder and you would have to wear a nappy but this just means that if I want to achieve my goals I have to train harder and put more heart in it than anyone else,’ she said.
‘I can’t change that I have Chiari Malformation, it just means that I have to try hard to be the best I can be.’
Her road to diagnosis began when her parents noticed she hadn’t grown for two years, so she was sent for numerous tests, including an MRI scan.
‘Some nights I think about it a lot and cry about it in bed, but my parents are always there for me,’ she said.
‘My family are always offering me hugs and support if I need it because they know that makes me feel better.’
As well as skating Sabre likes to sure and also has to fit in school, but she’s unsure where all the motivation comes from
On top of skating, surfing and school, Sabre recently teamed up with Specsavers after her and her two sisters realised they all needed glasses.
Although it doesn’t affect her competing, Sabre couldn’t believe that she had been dealing with poor eyesight for so long, as had her sister Sockie.
‘My sister found out that she needs to wear them all the time. She was struggling with her homework even though she was good at it and then she dropped behind, which is when we realised.’
This comes off the back of the fact that 1 in 4 kids may have an undiagnosed eye condition and new research reveales that 1 in 3 have never had an eye test.
What has Sabre even more excited than preparing for the Olympics is the fact that her mother is pregnant with her fifth child, which will mean Sabre will have a second brother
‘Two weeks ago I took a test and it’s been a lot easier, I definitely noticed the difference,’ she said.
Sabre is vigilant of her overall health because she doesn’t want anything to effect her Olympic chances.
What has Sabre even more excited than preparing for the Olympics is the fact that her mother is pregnant with her fifth child, which will mean Sabre will have a second brother.
‘It’s really exciting because I’m 13 now and my mum is 38 and she wants us to help raise him because she’s older, it’s great practice,’ Sabre said.
‘In the future I’m thinking of having six kids and being a mum, I can’t wait.’