Brisa Hennessy is eyeing the 2024 Summer Olympic Games while keeping a link to the surf community

In a few short weeks, the best athletes in the world will travel to France to compete in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. Although many of the events will be held in Paris and the surrounding area, the world's top surfers will be headed to the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti. Secluded away in a beautiful paradise is one of the most dangerous waves in the world known as Teahupoʻo. This massive wave will serve as the arena for the best surfers to represent their countries and possibly live out their dreams of winning an Olympic medal.

One surfer who is primed to do well in Tahiti is Brisa Hennessy. She will represent her home nation of Costa Rica in Tahiti in July. A few weeks ago Hennessy proved that she has what it takes to conquer Teahupoʻo when she placed second at this exact wave during the World Surf League SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro event. Following the event Hennessy sat down with Fansided to discuss an array of topics including her massive WSL Championship Tour season, the upcoming Olympic Games, and more.

"Teahupoʻo is this really unique wave, unlike any other wave on Earth, it's powerful, dangerous, beautiful," she said. "You can get the wave of your life out there. So you have to go into it with such an open kind of mindset with clear goals and kind of no expectations. And for me to get that experience and work with some of the local heroes there, I was working with Tereva David, and he's one of the best out there, just to get his insight was life-changing for me, and I think gave me that confidence going into the Olympics."

In addition to her physical preparation for the Olympic Games, Hennessy is working to improve her mental game as well. She has been utilizing a positive mindset to stay present at game time. Being a part of the WSL tour can be tough mentally, with travel and competition. Hennessy spoke about staying focused on the task at hand and not willing to much into the future.

"I think, the last year and kind of coming into this year, I've really realized how important the mental side," she said. "I'm learning how to navigate my way of, kind of balancing my life and the person I am inside and out of the water. I'm kind of fulfilling both roles in that way where I need to meet my happiness goals as a human and I think that brings out my best self out in the water. I've just kind of been preparing on going in with no expectations and not thinking in this futuristic mindset. I feel like surfing is a very present sport, and when you're out in the water, all that matters is what's in front of you, and I've been trying to practice that more."

With the focus on happiness at the forefront, Hennessy has another project that she has recently become involved with. She has partnered with Eventbrite and has picked out several events in Southern California that she would like to recommend to the public and her followers. Many of the events involve the outdoors, such as yoga and meditation. Other events are based on Hennessy's creative side like poetry writing and cooking. Hennessy uses writing in her own life to allow herself to share her passions.

"I think about Eventbrite and how they're really just bringing connection and passions and things that interest you, and I feel that is something that the world needs more of," she said. "And for me, like I was mentioning with my mental health, I need to fulfill those happy moments as a human too. Sometimes it's so easy to be tunnel vision of your goals as an athlete. I think when I do my best surfing is when I start painting more and writing poetry and connecting with people. And it's awesome to create those curated events in Southern California that I feel help me bring that community that I'm looking for. It's an amazing partnership, and I love that they're really supporting women surfing.

Recently Hennessy wrote a poem that she shared on her social media about body positivity. This is something she has found to focus on in her life and can now share with those who struggle as well.

"Poetry for me is a way to put down my thoughts when I feel like I'm not able to vocalize them," Hennessy explained. "It's just a way that I express myself. I normally do my poetry when I'm kind of going through a hard time in my life. That recent one that I did was one of the hardest moments of my life, where I was falling off tour and dealing with health issues, and that's when one of my passions kind of helped bring me back and kind of look at life in a different perspective. It's amazing to have that other way to express yourself. I think every person should have that way to express themselves."

Hennessy is excited to showcase surfing to the world once again at the Olympic Games. She was a part of the sports Olympic debut back in 2021, where she placed fifth. The smaller waves of Tokyo will now be replaced by the massive barreling left of Teahupoʻo. Hennessy thinks there will many "wow moments" on the waves come July. Hennessy likened the connection a surfer has to the wave as a dance and she feels more people need to see it.