Who Is Gabriel Medina- Why the Brazilian Surfer's Photo Is Going Viral at the 2024 Olympics
2024 Olympics: Paychecks for Team USA Gold Medal Winners Revealed
Gabriel Medina is making waves.
And it’s not just because of the Brazilian surfer’s record-breaking performance at the 2024 Olympics.
If you’ve been staying on the crest of what’s happening at the Games, then you know Medina was totally stoked about his performance during the third round of men’s surfing on July 29 in Teahupo’o, a village in the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti where the surfers are competing while the rest of the athletes face off in Paris.
In fact, he was so confident in his ride that he predicted his score by holding up 10 fingers as he came out of a huge barrel wave—and he wasn’t far off. The 30-year-old received a 9.90, which according to NBC News, is the highest single-wave score in the sport’s Olympic history (with surfing making its debut at 2020 Tokyo Games).
But this wasn’t the only part of Medina’s surf to make a splash. After exiting the barrel and heading toward the lip of the wave, the athlete soared off his board and appeared to signal No. 1 by pointing his finger towards the sky, with the in-air moment being captured in a now-viral photo taken by Jerome Brouillet.
read2024 Olympics: Colin Jost Shares Photo of Injured Foot After Surfing Event in Tahiti
“Touched by grace,” the AFP photographer wrote on Instagram July 30. “I like to say that taking pictures is a bit like surfing. It’s a mix of preparation, devotion, timing, some experience and a touch of luck.”
JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty Images
Needless to say, Brouillet had this winning combination on that day.
“On July 29, 2024, at 6:23 am, arriving on the spot by boat, we knew it would be a great Olympic surfing day,” he continued. “At 9:30:31 am, Gabriel Medina take off on the best wave of the day for a perfect ride. At 9:30:38 am, he jumps out of the wave with a celebration that spread immediately all around the world.”
Now, Brouillet is continuing to ride this wave of excitement.
“10 minutes later, my mobile starts beeping. It still hasn’t stopped…" he added. "That day, Gabriel was in the water at the right place, at the right time, and so was I. Congratulations @gabrielmedina!”
Just like the ocean, Medina’s love of surfing flows deep. He first became involved with the sport at age 8 and won the Rip Curl Grom Search when he was 11—going on to join the WSL Championship Tour at age 17, according to his Olympics.com. Medina later won the World Championships in 2014, 2018 and 2021 and competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he placed fourth.
But in 2022, Medina announced he was withdrawing from the start of that year’s season.
"This time [away] was good for me,” he told Olympics.com. “It's not a secret; talking about mental health is even interesting. I had depression. I started treating myself to a psychologist. I never imagined being in this situation. It's scary; things stop making sense for you. I'm better, happy to be finding myself again. I learned a lot during this time."
BEN THOUARD/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Medina returned to the sport later that year but injured his knee at Oi Rio Pro 2022. But even when the tides changed, he continued to strive for greatness—winning the 2023 Western Australia Margaret River Pro.
And while Medina—who drew attention earlier this year when he voiced his opinions about WSL’s judging—wouldn’t turn down an Olympic medal, it’s not the only way he’s defining success.
“I’ve been through a lot of stuff the past 10 years of my life,” he told Olympics.com. “I won three titles, world titles. So I’ve been dealing with pressure and people talking, the possibilities.”
“I know that I’ve been working really hard for this moment, and I really want to do good here,” Medina added. “But I’m more paying attention of my time in the water because I love being in the water here. I don’t think about results. I don’t think about the others. I just want to surf here because it’s my favorite wave.”
As he awaits his next round of competition, keep reading to relive more candid Olympic moments.
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photosView More Photos From Every Candid Moment from the 2024 Paris Olympics
2024 Olympics: Paychecks for Team USA Gold Medal Winners Revealed Gabriel Medina is making waves. And it’s not just because of the Brazilian surfer’s record-breaking performance at the 2024 Olympics. If you’ve been staying on the crest of what’s happening at the Games, then you know Medina was totally stoked about his performance during the…