Molly Picklum: Aussie surfing star reveals the moment she thought she might die on the ultra-heavy waves that will be used at the Olympics - and what saved her life

Surfing in Tahiti might sound like paradise rather than a potentially deadly Olympic event, but Aussie star Molly Picklum has revealed how she almost died riding the break that will be used for the Paris Games.

Surfing finally made it onto the Olympic programme for the Tokyo 2020 Games, and will return for Paris 2024.

With Paris not known for its gnarly surfing breaks, competitors will head to Teahupo'o, Tahiti to compete, as it's a French territory.

Teahupo'o may produce two-to-four-foot waves during the four-day Olympics window, changing the game for the 48 men and women competing for medals.

Competitors call it 'a straight-up gladiator pit' because of the dangerous waves caused by swells hitting the rapidly rising Tahitian sea floor.

Five surfers have died at this spot, including big-wave surfer Thierry Vernaudon and local Briece Taerea a week before the CT event in 2000.

Australian surfer and world No.3 Molly Picklum almost joined them.

During training, she tackled a massive wave at Teahupo'o and received praise on Instagram from seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and big-wave record-holder Laura Enever.

But a moment of luck saved her from becoming another casualty of the 'gladiator pit.'

'I probably didn't understand that wave before,' she said.

'But I copped the scariest wipeout of my life and I'm better for it. I jumped off a jet ski straight into the biggest barrel I'd ever had at 6am, I was still waking up and I got absolutely flogged with four or five more waves on the head.

'I had the ski picking me up each time and that's when I was very, very grateful, because without them I was probably dead.'

The 21-year-old from the NSW Central Coast feels she has an edge over many rivals, saying she can see their fear when they sit in the line-up at Teahupo'o, where heavy waves break on a shallow reef.

'I think in competition, there's two things to the women that goes on: obviously, the competitiveness of, like, just wanting to win, but also the fear you can see in a lot of the girls,' Picklum said.

'They're not just trying to win, there's also some inner challenges for themselves.

'When I see the fear, that makes me a little more confident because I'm a bit more comfortable in the situation, so I can focus more on what the job at hand is, rather than being distracted by fear or being uncomfortable.'

Picklum follows a mental checklist when paddling out in dangerous breaks like Teahupo'o.

She used to hate big waves but now embraces the 'intense emotion' that comes with it. 'I have a really clear understanding of what I'm entering into every time I'm out there,' Picklum said.

'I make that conscious decision every time that, yes, there's a potential consequence, but also the other side of that is potentially the most magical experience.

'I'm willing to dance with the devil a little bit to maybe get that magic moment, and I think that mindset is what keeps me pretty calm and comfortable and eager to give this wave a good go.'