Gabriel Medina absolutely shows out at the ISA World Surfing Games to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games

The Summer Olympics in France are creeping up and all countries involved in this year's games are starting to finalize their teams. In surfing many of those athletes punched their tickets to Tahiti at the end of their last competition season in September. However, there were a few spots still up for grabs at the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico. The way it works with Olympic spots is each country will send four athletes to the game, two men and two women. However, there is a chance to add two more with a win at the ISA World Surfing Games.

Brazil was one of those countries sending two men and two women to the games. Based on the World Surf League standings for 2023 the two men with spots were champion Filipe Toledo and Joao Chianca. This left former WSL champion Gabriel Medina on the outside looking in. Medina took things into his own hands at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games and secured himself a spot on the Olympic roster for Brazil.

Medina won the whole thing in Puerto Rico, adding an extra male roster spot for his country and punching his ticket once again to represent Team Brazil in Tahiti. Medina caught up with Fansided to discuss his unlikely pursuit of an Olympic spot.

"The mindset was we had to work as a team to get this extra spot for Brazil. I knew it was me and Yago (Dora) you know, going for and I knew one was gonna go to the Olympics," Medina said. "So we gave our 100 percent, you know, so that's why I got it because everyone gave their 100 percent and we worked as a team for that spot in the Olympics and can't wait to go to Tahiti."

Medina's performance in Puerto Rico was enough to win him the contest and book his trip to the Olympics. He knows just how big of an opportunity this is for an athlete who gets to show their skills in front of the world. Surfing was first added to the Olympic events back in the 2020 games. This was many fans' first glimpse of surfing as a competitive sport, something Medina hopes will continue to grow the sport and add to the support from the fans.

"I think it's the biggest stage for fans of surfing or not fans of surfing, they get to watch and support their countries and stuff," he said. "So it's good for surfing, and hopefully, more people get to watch and get to know our sport."

Before heading to Tahiti, Medina must continue on his quest for a WSL title on the WSL Championship Tour. The hype behind the Olympic qualification may be at the forefront of everyone's mind, but Medina knows how to keep his focus on the task at hand. He is a long-time veteran of the tour who has found success on multiple occasions.

"I think as we age and the things we go through, we just have more patience. Like the timing goes, which is good to keep yourself calm, I see the people call me and they're so excited. I feel good," he said. "I've been on tour for the last 13 years so I'm kind of used to it now."

Medina is currently competing in Portugal at the MEO Rip Curl Portugal Pro. After a rough start that landed him in the elimination round, Medina worked his way up and now finds himself just a few wins from the trophy. Medina will take on Leonardo Fioravanti in the quarterfinals on the next day of competition. The event is running now.