Surfing is one of the most popular sports in Brazil, and plenty of countries with massive areas of water. It’s become so popular that after its debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it made enough waves for the Olympics 2024 surfing event to happen.
Check out who made the final cut for men’s and women’s when spectators took a break from the city of Paris to watch surfers ride the waves in Tahiti!
Olympics 2024 Surfing Overview
Surfing wasn’t always a part of the Olympics. But back in the 1920s, surfers like Duke Kahanamoku – the three-time Olympic swimming champ from Hawaii – pushed for it to be included. It took a while, but finally, surfing made its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020 and is back for Paris 2024!
In the Olympics 2024 surfing event, the competition was held in the legendary Teahupo’o in Tahiti. It was truly an epic moment for surfers and spectators alike.
Surfing isn’t just about catching waves, though. Judges score surfers based on how unique (or even near-death-defying!) and cool their tricks are. They also look at how fast and powerful they are, and if they can smoothly link their moves together. And instead of longboards, shortboards are required tools for this year’s Olympics. They’re smaller, faster, and way easier (and better!) for surfers to pull off awesome tricks.
Paris 2024 Surfing Results: All Medalists
Paris Olympics 2024 Surfing Women’s Finals Medalists
- USA – Caroline Marks (GOLD)
- Brazil – Tatiana Weston-Webb (SILVER)
- France – Johanne Defay (BRONZE)
Florida native Caroline Marks made history by clinching the Gold medal in the women’s Olympics 2024 surfing competition – taking the glory home back to the USA! In a nail-biting final against Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, Marks showcased exceptional wave reading and strategic maneuvers to secure the victory with a mind-blowing score of 10.50.
Kauai’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, representing Brazil, secured the Silver medal in a heart-stopping final against Caroline Marks. In a final push, Weston-Webb caught a wave in the closing minutes, taking it deep into the reef before giving up. She managed to execute a few crucial turns, earning a final score of 10.33, falling just short of Marks’ total by a mere 0.17 points.
Vive la France – Johanne Defay made literal waves as the first French to ever snag a Bronze medal for Surfing in the Paris 2024 Olympic events! The Reunionese athlete showcased exceptional mastery of the waves at Teahupo’o, defeating Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy in a thrilling match that got her an impressive total of 12.66.
Olympics Paris 2024 Surfing Men’s Finals Results
- France – Kauli Vaast (GOLD)
- Australia – Jack Robinson (SILVER)
- Brazil – Gabriel Medina (BRONZE)
Home court advantage is definitely something, and France’s Kauli Vaast is living proof of it! He surfed a near-perfect final to claim the Gold medal in the men’s Olympics 2024 surfing event at Teahupo’o, leaving Australia’s Jack Robinson with silver. The 22-year-old local hero, who grew up in Teahupo’o’s powerful waves, dominated the competition from start to finish, igniting a frenzy of celebrations onshore and in the water with a whopping score of 17.67.
Australia’s Jack Robinson delivered a stellar performance, showcasing his exceptional tube riding skills with a solid 7.83 score. Despite facing stiff competition from Vaast, Robinson secured the Silver medal, a remarkable achievement for the young surfer who surpassed fellow Australians Wright and Florence.
They weren’t kidding when they said Surfing is Brazil’s territory! Gabriel Medina ensured his country’s flag would be raised after the Olympics 2024 surfing event when he claimed the Bronze medal. After a thrilling battle against Peru’s Alonso Correa, he closed off the event with a sharp 15.54. Medina’s experience and skill shone through as he delivered powerful maneuvers and showcased his mastery of the Teahupo’o wave.
