SOLE SURVIVORS

THE COUNTDOWN’S ON FOR THIS YEAR’S WINNER TO BE CROWNED

GERRY GELTCH

Pilot Geltch is the oldest contestant to ever play Australian Survivor. “It was a great opportunity to meet some amazing people, push through age boundaries and preconceptions, and above all to reach top four and make my family proud,” he says. Missing his family, and enduring the rain and cold at night in Samoa was difficult, Geltch says, but he was motivated to stick with it in order to win $500,000 prize money. “If I win, I’ll use the cash to support my family’s aviation business, Air Fraser, which is struggling post-COVID,” he says. “Aviation’s in our blood.”

GEORGE MLADENOV

Fan favourite ‘King’ George Mladenov plans to clear his parents’ mortgages and treat himself to the “best holiday ever” if he wins, after falling short to Hayley Leake in 2021’s Brains V Brawn season. “Australian Survivor is a balancing game of friendships and politics,” the public servant tells WHO. “I’ve worked so hard to make sure both me and my allies get to the end.” In addition to being crowned sole Survivor, his dream is to appear on US Survivor. “I want to show Americans that I’m not only the best Aussie player, but truly the best worldwide.”

LIZ PARNOV

Despite her early Spice Girls alliance with Mladenov (and eliminated contender Shonee Bowtell) falling apart, she speaks highly of him. “He has been my right-hand man through the whole season,” says Parnov. ”He is an Australian Survivor mastermind and probably the greatest player.” The Olympian has lost close to 10kg during her time in Samoa, adding that “feeling starved 24/7” was the toughest part. But her friendship and alliance with Bowtell made the pain bearable. “She’s like a sister,” says Parnov. “We clicked from the get-go. Shiz forever!”

MATT SHARP

For lifeguard Sharp, his Survivor highlight was “winning my first individual immunity idol” for holding his breath during a terrifying water challenge. The family man shares that giving up a phone call to his thenpregnant wife Kirstie was a lowlight. “It was a really hard few days after, because I kept imagining that she was waiting by the phone to hear from me,” he says. Sharp adds that he’s lost more than 10kg while competing. “It’s worth it though,” he says. “If I win the $500,000 that will set me, my wife and baby son Hugo up for life. That’s gamechanging money for us.”