Paris 2024 surfing managed to make a photo of Brazilian Gabriel Medina go viral, which until now, is considered the image of the current Olympic Games.
Gabriel Medina came very close to the highest score in surfing by qualifying this Monday for the Quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and this Tuesday he will seek to be crowned after completing this program of the discipline.
The three-time world champion (2014, 2018 and 2021) received a score of 9.90, the highest so far in the French competition, to settle the third round tie against the Japanese Kanoa Igarashi.
The gold medal favourite’s move dazzled the crowd at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, home of the surfing discipline, as he took the barrel wave in an almost perfect manner, taking advantage of the large waves in the sea during the day. Knowing what he had done, Medina came out of the barrel raising both hands and spreading his palms, a signal for the judges to give him a 10, the maximum score.
“It’s a dream to compete in the Olympics in these conditions. I never imagined I could show the world this type of surfing, because we don’t always have these types of conditions” in the sea, said Medina, 30, in statements released by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB).
Brazilian Surfing Confederation president Flávio ‘Teco’ Padaratz told AFP that it was the biggest score in the history of the Olympic Games, a competition in which surfing makes its second appearance after Tokyo 2020. Medina will now face his compatriot João Chianca in search of a place in the Olympic semi-finals.
