INTERVIEW WITH MACK HORTON – RECRUIT NUMBER 14

Age: 29

From: Melbourne, Australia 

Occupation: Olympic Swimmer

IG - @mackhorton

Mack Horton is a retired Australian swimmer who rose to prominence in distance freestyle events, winning gold in the 1500m at the 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships and achieving his career highlight with Olympic gold in the 400m freestyle at Rio 2016—the first male swimmer from Victoria to do so. He also earned four Commonwealth Games gold medals and competed in multiple Olympic relay and distance events, while taking a public stand against doping in 2019. Retiring in January 2024, Mackenzie is celebrated as ‘Magnificent Mack’ and is married to his high school sweetheart, with their first child expected in January 2026.

Why did you sign up to take part in Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins?

I like doing hard things. Since retiring from sport, I probably don’t do enough physically hard or mentally hard things. And to be honest, even if it wasn’t a TV show, I would just do it because it’s an unreal opportunity to push myself and do things that you could just never do in real life.

What did you hope to get out of the experience?

I just wanted to be challenged and see what it was like. I didn’t go in wanting anything in particular other than to feel uncomfortable and pushed—and I definitely got that.

How did it feel coming in, given your Olympian background? Did your fitness and stamina help?

Yes and no. It probably helped the most in team challenges because physically you feel like you can support others. But the course is designed to make everyone reach their maximum, whatever that is. Even if you went in not that fit, they will find your maximum and make sure you stay there and experience it. What they’re actually testing is not just your physical condition but more your attitude and character.

Was it more of a physical or mental challenge for you?

Definitely physical, but the physical challenge transports you to the mental challenge. Physically, if you have a sporting background, you know how to rally. But being constantly on edge mentally is very different. They’re very good at slowly wearing you down, and that’s the hardest part.

What was the most difficult challenge for you?

Honestly, they were all really difficult. The ones that sucked the most were probably the Rat Race or the tunnels because of all the dust that got into my lungs.

Are you claustrophobic?

Probably a little bit, but in the moment, you don’t have a choice. You just get down with it. Part of the show is that at certain points, you just have to do things without thinking because that’s the only way to survive. My claustrophobia cleared pretty quickly, but it was definitely not fun. I breathed in a lot of dust.

How was the living situation?

I’m not great with it. You don’t get a second to yourself. Sleeping in a room with everyone wasn’t bad—like the stretcher and all that was fine—but people were very social. I’m social too, but I know when to turn it on and off. Athletes usually power down between heats and finals. Non-athletes weren’t used to that, so they were social when I was ready to rest.

Did it take its toll not having time to yourself?

Not really. Eventually, everyone figures out the routine of the group, and you can have a bit of space. Your bunk or stretcher is time for yourself. But the DS own your time in a way—they’re always dictating what’s next, what they want, when you need to be ready. That’s what takes a toll.

Did it feel like being at school with the DS in charge?

No, my school was nowhere near as strict as that. They intentionally design it so the only people you have contact with are the DS. They play games with you too—for example, one day they left a box of chocolates out and tested if we would return them. It took us 24 hours to decide, and they got annoyed we hadn’t done it sooner.

What was the food like?

By the end, you don’t even feel like food matters. There’s no sugar, everything is bland. Almost every night was beef curry, sometimes with rice, sometimes without. I’m fairly certain the beef was actually goat—I’d never eaten goat before.

Were there any luxury items you wished you had in camp?

Weirdly, maybe my camera. There were some amazing scenes, and it would have been cool to capture them. Otherwise, the simplicity is kind of nice—you only having what’s on your back.

What part of the experience surprised you the most?

Maybe how real it felt. I wasn’t sure how much TV versus realness there would be, but it felt very real. I was also surprised by how personable the DS were. If you show them respect, they reciprocate. During downtime, you can have real conversations, and they’re just good guys.

Did you do any preparation before going on?

I started running a little more, just for the long hikes with backpacks. On weekends, my wife and I would walk with a 24kg kettlebell, doing farmer carries or carrying it on my chest for 5K. That genuinely helped.

How did you find addressing your emotions with the DS?

For me, it was okay. Personally, I don’t differentiate between what you show personally versus on TV. It’s all real. I spoke about things with the DS before and continued to, so there wasn’t anything new. But I did enjoy their perspective, and they challenged me, which was nice.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned that I can go into unfamiliar situations and find comfort in them. And I enjoyed experiencing new things, not getting freaked out, and finding some level of comfort in it. I enjoy those experiences that make me feel that way.

What advice would you give to someone taking part in a future series of Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins in the future?

Dry out your feet at every opportunity. Training should focus on carrying things—that’s mostly what you’ll do. Pace yourself. People without multi-day endurance experience need to learn how to set themselves up for more than two or three days. Be comfortable doing your own thing and finding your own space to make it through.