Norris is the youngest surfer ever to compete in the open round of the Sydney International Women’s Pro

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

An 11-year-old Australian surfing prodigy who achieved global fame by fat-shaming her dad in a television interview has charmed US audiences by recounting the time she vomited after winning a pizza-eating competition.

Sabre Norris is the youngest surfer ever to compete in the open round of the Sydney International Women’s Pro and was ranked 25th out of 100 surfers of all ages in November – enough to secure her $500 of prize money, which she wanted to spend on doughnuts.

But, Norris told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview for her US talk show this week, her favourite doughnut shop supplied the pastry haul for free, so she had some cash to spare.

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Expressing an obsession with junk food that must depress child health advocates hopeful of channelling her obvious fitness and sporting prowess into an anti-obesity campaign, the Newcastle girl explained that she had given away $300 of her prizemoney – $100 apiece to her brother and two sisters – and intended to spend the rest on chocolate.

“I bring my money here and I found this big Hershey’s Kiss, it’s as big as my head, so I’m going to spend it on that,” she said. “I found it in a candy store and it’s just sugar, fully just sugar.”

The remainder of the cash will be spent on a combination clothing-souvenir purchase, categories Norris presumably combined to ensure the maximum amount could be spent on food.

“I want this American pair of socks just to remind me of my time I had here,” she said.

DeGeneres, whose past guests include Barack and Michelle Obama, attempted to bring the interview back to surfing but Norris invariably returned to food.

Norris said she had wanted to be a surfer since she was five years old and surfs “as much as I can” but does face some roadblocks. Her father, Justin Norris, won bronze in the 200m butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and would apparently prefer she followed his path.

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“If I want to be a swimmer I don’t have to do any chores but, if I want to be a surfer, I have to do this gnarly list,” she said. “It’s like: clean the toilet. They give me this gnarly, big list if I want to do competitions for surfing and it’s just like really long as well, and they think, ‘Sabre’s never going to get it done.’ So I just set my mind to it and I always get it done.”

“Swimming,” she said, “sucks”.

“It does, really,” she said, over DeGeneres’ protestations. “It’s really boring. You just watch your line … It’s not fun”

Asked for her favourite place in the US, Norris said she “would die to go to Las Vegas. I would give you my left arm.”

The attraction was, of course, the food. “Because I do research about this place and there must be a buffet in every single place,” she said. “When I win a world title, and I’m rich, I’m going to go there to celebrate and I’m going to eat whatever I want. For breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

DeGeneres, looking increasingly perplexed, said: “You’re very tiny, you’re very petite, but it sounds like you eat a lot.”

Norris agreed. She not only ate a lot, she had won competitions for it.

“I did this record for pizza and it’s two large pizzas and one slice, from Pizza Hut,” she said. “It was so good. I vomited afterwards.”

DeGeneres gave Norris and her mother tickets to Las Vegas and another $500.