Sandra Diaz knows what it takes to outwit, outplay and outlast competitors as a two-time US Survivor winner

Diaz and her daughter Nina will go up against 22 Survivor challengers and each other as they battle it out in an effort to become the sole survivor in the latest Australian Survivor season: Blood V Water.

Not only has she won the gruelling strategy test twice, she has actually played US Survivor four times, been a mentor on another season and was one of the first five inductees of the Survivor Hall of Fame.

Pearl Islands (season 7) was her first win in 2003, at the age of 29.

In season 20 - Heroes vs Villains - she was a villain who, after winning the final tribal vote, was dubbed the queen of Survivor.

In season 34 - Game Changers - she was back in the mix, but was voted out on day 16.

Season 39 saw Sandra return as a mentor for Island of the Idols filmed in Fiji.

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For the 20th anniversary of US Survivor in 2020, all previous winners were participants in Winners at War. After a strategic alliance betrayed her, she chose to quit on day 16, knowing she had already achieved everything on Survivor anyway.

The former US Army chemical repair specialist lives in North Carolina with her two girls and husband Marcus, a 30-year Army veteran with five tours in Afghanistan.

"It's not easy on a military family," says Sandra. "His first tour was 18 months, and it was so hard because the girls were small.

"Maybe that's why we stayed together," she laughs.

So, what has made her take on the tortuous game so many times?

"I was a fan of the show before I signed on.

"I enjoy the challenge of the game, but not the challenges. It was a lot easier when I was 29 years old."

She puts her first win down to the fact she was the "lesser of two evils".

"I was the lesser of four evils the second time. I've always managed to get the most votes. I'm a social player. I try to get to really know people. I have this love for the game.

"A lot of people told me afterwards 'when you talked, we listened'.

"Everything is always different. There is no one way to win Survivor. You have to be able to diversify, be their pal, be their friend."

To prepare for Australian Survivor, she watched every season.

"I knew I had to change my mentality and the way I was coming into the game. In the US, I would sit out of challenges whenever I could. But for Australians, it's all about the physicality of the game."

Sandra had been to Australia before. After being voted out of Winners at War, she and her husband spent a week and a half in both Sydney and Melbourne.

But that certainly didn't prepare her for the wilderness, the weather and the extreme conditions of Far North Queensland.

"The sun was so hot, but at night it was cold. It's the hardest Survivor I have been on."

She says the Australian version is also longer than the US version.

"Here the game lasts 28 days with a million dollar prize. In Australia you have to last 47 days to get half as much money."

And what did she do with those US million dollar wins?

"I bought my first house. Here you lose a lot to taxes. I helped put Nina through college. I live a simple life, but I do take vacations. My husband is about to retire and we just want to enjoy life."

Among the pairs Sandra and Nina compete against are an ex-SAS commander, an NRL legend, a triathlete, an endurance athlete and a personal trainer.

"There are a lot of athletes. I usually stay quiet before a challenge, but I didn't complain when I had to do one. My biggest asset is my knowledge of the game."

She admits to telling Nina "I don't know how to play with another person".

"I told her just do the best you can. She has all of me and some of her father in her. She has always been very physical. I had total faith in her and I told her 'play your own game'."

She says she had a target on her back from the start, but as others showed their skills, it shifted.

"But I didn't leave Australia hating anyone. I usually hate one person per season."