‘I said yes to the show because it’s the hardest’
JANA PITTMAN
When it comes to alpha types, they don’t get much more alpha than Olympian, world champion hurdler, doctor and mum-of-four Jana Pittman. The 38-year-old says she’s taking part in SAS Australia
– just six months after the birth of her youngest son Charles – to really “challenge myself mentally and physically”.
This show is tough. Did you ever want to quit?
I don’t quit, but every bit of me was screaming “get out of here” when I had to escape from a submerged car in one of the challenges. That pushed me so far mentally – I’ve never experienced fear like it in my life!
Why was it important to you to take part?
This is the first reality show I’ve ever agreed to do. I said yes because it’s the hardest. It’s physical, but it’s also about mental tenacity. My body was screaming but I would just go, “Shut up and get on with it.”
Did you suffer from any injuries during filming? I tore off a toenail, which was pretty yuck, and I’ve never been more bruised in my life.
You’re currently working in an ED in a Sydney hospital – that must be gruelling?
It’s scary because I’ve got four little kids at home and we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but the hospital is super-strict about our safety. It’s actually an honour also to see firsthand what the world has experienced and to try and do something about it. How has SAS affected you? It’s pushed me to go for another goal of mine: to join the Army Reserve. I’d love to work as a medic or go overseas to help hard-hit disaster communities.