Olly Merritt, at the age of 23, has already embarked on a remarkable athletic journey that has taken unexpected turns. Initially Olly spent his formative years believing that his destiny lay in becoming a professional golfer on the PGA Tour. Pursuing this dream with relentless ambition, he even ventured across continents to America, where he played college golf for a year. He was obsessed with the lifestyle and one day decided to change it all. This fundraising journey is run in conjunction with the Aussie-Athlete Fund 1 Million dollar challenge, powered by Ampol.

However, fate had other plans for Olly. His desire to gracefully conclude his athletic pursuits and transition into a more conventional life, that Olly stumbled upon beach volleyball. Thinking he was contempt with a life of high-level sport with no actual path terrified Olly into fully immersing himself into this new dream.

In just a mere year and a half of committing himself in the world of beach volleyball, Olly's natural talent and relentless work ethic caught the eye of selectors. His recent successes on the national tour catapulted him into the spotlight, earning him a coveted spot on the National Beach Volleyball Team in April 2024. This opportunity beckoned him to relocate to Adelaide, where he now dedicates himself fully to training.

Despite bypassing the conventional trajectory of junior development programs, Olly's ascent in beach volleyball stands as a testament to his raw ability and unyielding determination. Now entrenched in a full-time training environment, Olly anticipates a rapid growth in his skills, poised to make waves in the competitive realm of beach volleyball toward Olympic success.