Ironman champion Ali Day says "mother nature" sets surf life saving apart from other sports and, given it's "enriched" in Australian history, believes it would be fitting if it joined the Olympic program at Brisbane 2032.
It was revealed last week that the International Life Saving Federation and Surf Life Saving Australia were set to lobby for the sport's inclusion at the Brisbane Olympics.
"We're in mother nature, right? So no race is ever the same. It's not like swimming, it's not like gymnastics. We're in mother nature, so every day is different in the ocean," Day, a three-time Australian ironman champion, told Wide World of Sports.
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"You're in the elements of the ocean and the ocean provides so much entertainment on its own, but then you throw in 16 males or 16 females to do an ironperson race and anything can happen.
"So I think it's just exciting for viewers at home to watch people in the ocean and get a good understanding of them paddling a board or paddling a ski or swimming.
"Imagine the shots you could get if they're racing on say a Gold Coast beach.
"There's so many elements that make our sport so great, but I think what stands us apart from other sports is mother nature and racing in big waves."
Australian ironman legend Trevor Hendy, who's a surf life saving ambassador for the sport's Brisbane 2032 bid, told Wide World of Sports that Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast was the most likely location for the Olympic competition.
Hendy said Coolangatta on the Gold Coast and Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast were also feasible options.
The sport's push to feature at Brisbane 2032 reminds Day of triathlon joining the Olympic program at Sydney 2000.
"I think it would be [fitting for the Olympics]. When we had an Olympics here last time we brought in triathlon and that was huge," Day said.
"I think for a sport like surf life saving that's enriched in history in our country, and being one of, if not the most, famous sports here, it would be pretty fitting to have it named as an Olympic sport at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. I think it would be incredible."
Day said surf life saving joining the Olympics would give the sport a huge boost.
"Over the last probably decade it's sort of, I wouldn't say dwindled, but it hasn't been a mainstream sport, whereas 15-20 years ago, when you had Karla Gilbert and Trevor Hendy … the sport was huge back then," Day said.
"With this potentially happening it puts our sport back on the map.
"… By being a part of the Olympic Games it'd be huge for the grassroots of our sport here in Australia. I'm still racing, I'm 34 in a couple of months' time. There's kids racing now that are 20. How exciting would it be for those kids to be able to race at the Olympics? And then for all those Nippers coming through, how exciting that there's a potential pathway for them to be Olympians in our sport?"
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