Can you believe it’s been two years since surfing’s second Olympic appearance at Teahupo’o? And 10 years since surfing was first included in the Games. Olympic inclusion, which once seemed like a novel idea, is quickly becoming lore of old-timers.
We’re currently at the midpoint between Paris 2024 and LA 2028 — two years after Kauli Vaust and Caroline Marks won gold in Tahiti, and two years until the third batch of Olympians compete at Lower Trestles. The Olympics took a moment to celebrate surfing’s journey to the “end of the road” at the 2024 Games, releasing a 37-minute documentary (narrated by Barton Lynch) reliving the experience.
From massive tubes to an expelled judge, a camera crew getting sucked over the falls to the most viral surfing photo ever, the Paris 2024 edition of Olympic surfing did not lack excitement. The Olympics, however, didn’t include all those details in this highlight, instead focusing solely on the competition.
While Medina didn’t win the gold, he was perhaps the most noticeable athlete to emerge from the event due to his levitating photo — arguably more than any athlete in the entire Olympics.
“Surfing going to the Olympics is amazing,” Medina says in the documentary. “You got the eyes from everyone in the world. Now they get to know our beautiful sport.”
