The sport of surfing gained popularity in Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands throughout the 1800s, and it arrived in California around the beginning of the 1900s. By the 1960s, pop culture and Hollywood films had added to its appeal.
The International Surfing Federation (ISF), which was established in 1964 and changed its name to the International Surfing Association (ISA) in 1973, is responsible for governing surfing worldwide. The first well-known surfer was Duke Kahanamoku of Hawaii, a three-time Olympic swimmer in the freestyle discipline.
Surfing debuted as an Olympic sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Shortboard events were conducted for both men and women, which was approved at the 129th IOC Session in 2016. French Polynesia's Tahiti, an island, will host the surfing competition for the 2024 Paris Olympics, making it the most remote venue in Olympic history.
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The List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in Surfing
The United States and Brazil are the leading countries in the all-time medal table of Olympic surfing, with a gold medal each. Japan is in third place with a silver and a bronze. South Africa is next with a silver medal, followed by Australia with a bronze medal.
Year | Event | Athlete(s) | Medal |
2020 | Shortboard, Women | Carissa Moore | Gold |
Carissa Moore, the first woman surfer in history to win an Olympic gold medal, was born on August 27, 1992, in Honolulu, Hawaii. By 1997, Moore had begun surfing with her father, and soon enough, she rose through the age group ranks with her performances at the NSSA junior surf events and the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships.
Moore was the youngest winner of a Triple Crown of Surfing event, the Reef Hawaiian Pro, in 2008 and won 11 NSSA amateur titles overall. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics and became the first Hawaiian to do so, after nearly a century, since Duke Kahanamoku in 1924.
Moore beat Amuro Tsuzuki of Japan in the semifinals to reach the final heat, where surfers aimed for gold and silver medals, and in the finals, she defeated Bianca Buitendag of South Africa with a score of 14.93 to win the gold medal at the Olympics.
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FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Surfing
A. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, surfing will take place at the renowned reef of Teahupo'o, Tahiti.
A. Yes, surfing has been an Olympic sport since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A. Tahiti's selection for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris satisfies a commitment made by the organizers of the event to hold the games across French territory.
A. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, a total of 48 surfers, including 24 men and 24 women, will participate.
A. Carissa Moore won the Olympic gold medal in shortboard surfing for the United States.