It’s finally come to this after an exciting week of surfing in Tahiti. Day of the finals. A day of intense semi-final matches followed by the decisive grand final to determine which man and woman would win their nation’s Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.
There will be six new Olympic medal winners; none of the Tokyo 2020 podium finishers will advance to the Teahupo’o semi-finals. So far, the competition has been amazing; images of Gabriel Medina have gone viral all over the world, and women are shattering stereotypes about what is possible in surfing and pushing the sport to new heights.
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Like every surfing event, the task for those in charge is to carefully determine when Teahupo’o will deliver the ideal conditions so that the tournament may conclude in spectacular style.
Finals day is currently scheduled for Saturday, August 3, starting at 7 a.m. local time and 7 p.m. CET.
The men compete for their medals first, with the women competing in the last heat of the day, much like it was at surfing**’**’s Olympic début. Order of operation (all times CET):
Men’s semi-finals at 7 p.m.
8:12 p.m. semi-finals for women
Men’s bronze medal at 9:24 p.m.
Men’s gold medal at 10 p.m.
Women’s Bronze Medal at 10:36 p.m.
11:12 p.m. gold medal for women
The key games
There are numerous plots to follow on the last day of competition, with a combination of favorites and underdogs. Alonso Correa of Peru will take on Tahiti’s Kauli Vaast in the first semi-final to take place in the water. The proud resident surfer wants to make history for his French Polynesian island.
Cheers and applause erupt and reverberate across the area every time he finishes a heat and the jet ski drives by the fan zone. I have good boards and I feel terrific. Really excited to start the next one.
Vaast said to Olympics.com, “I will maintain the routine, maintain the momentum, and try to enjoy even more,” following his qualification for the last six men.
When it comes to expertise and knowledge of local breaks, Vaast undoubtedly has the advantage. From the age of eight, he has been surfing the strong Teahupo’o break. Vaast is clearly in the lead when it comes to time spent in the water at this special location.
The 22-year-old would have no trouble surfing big waves like the one we seen in the men’s round three, but it’s unlikely to be that big on finals day
His opponent from Peru is also not going to give up easily. Although Correa faces a formidable opponent, he will feel more confident after defeating two-time world champion Filipe Toledo and Olympic silver medallist Kanoa Igarashi throughout the week.The resilient 26-year-old will spare no effort to defeat Vaast and has the ability to win in a variety of circumstances.
The man Gabriel Medina is on a quest In what some may be hoping was the gold medal match,
Australia’s Jack Robinson will take on three-time world champion Gabriel Medina. According to Olympics.com, Medina is a man on a purpose.
I’m feeling fantastic, but I have no idea what the future holds. I’m striving to obtain the medal because I believe I deserve it and because I know how much work I put into it. This gives me confidence. I simply believe that I deserve it since I am aware of everything I accomplished to get here.
.Medina has a rich background in Tahiti, coming in second at Teahupo’o to 10-time world champion Kelly Slater. In addition to being in the top four in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023, he won the WSL Tahiti Pro in 2014 and 2018. In 2024, he placed third as well.
Robinson is just as comfortable riding the famous Tahitian wave in barreling conditions. Although he has spent less time on the WSL Tour than Medina, the 2023 Tahiti Pro victor lacks Medina’s lengthy resume. Robinson is a real threat because of his capacity to produce under duress and adjust to any situation.
Caroline Marks seeking recognition In the women’s division, defending world champion Caroline Marks hopes to emulate Carissa Moore, the first-ever gold medallist in the sport, and wave the flag of her own country while retaining the Olympic gold in the USA.
The 22-year-old had a spectacular ascent after taking a break from the sport to focus on her health and well-being. She placed fourth in the past Olympics.
Although taking the time off was one of the toughest things I have ever done, in retrospect it was also the finest thing I have ever done for my mental well-being, my surfing, and my life in general. You really cannot perform or truly appreciate it if your mental health isn’t in tip-top shape, Marks told Olympics.com.
Johanne Defay of France is in the way of her progressing to the gold medal final.Given the excitement around Moore and local sensation Vahine Fierro, who won the Tahiti Pro in pumping conditions in May, some may argue that the 30-year-old has been overlooked in the run-up to this event.
In actuality, Defay is a skilled surfer who has encountered a wide range of weather conditions and heat problems, which has given her the expertise to defeat Fierro and Moore and advance to the semifinals.
Defay has surfed on the WSL Championship Tour for ten years and possesses a great deal of perseverance and grit. Defay, who is determined to excel at her own country’s Olympics, is unfazed by the four stitches in her forehead from round one.
