“When it first happens, you feel elated,” says John John Florence, a two-time world surfing champion and one of the best surfers in the world. Like surfing legend Kelly Slater, Florence is preparing for the Paris Olympics with a determination to overcome his knee injuries and pursue gold. A native Hawaiian representing the USA, Florence has won two world titles in 2016 and 2017. He has nine WSL tour event wins and five Triple Crown Surfing titles (2011, 2013, 2016, 2020, 2021).

Florence’s journey is not just about the accolades; it’s about evolution. With each triumph and setback, his approach has matured. Gone are the days of youthful exuberance; now, there’s a strategic, thoughtful competitor who adapts and innovates. The question looms: will this seasoned strategy be his key to Olympic glory?

John John Florence’s revised mantra for a strong Olympics showing 

In a recent interview with olympics.com, US surfer John John Florence shared how he is determined to make this Olympics count after the 2021 Tokyo Games fiasco. Amidst torrential rainfall, Florence said, “My mindset this year leading into the Paris 2024 Olympics is in such a good place and a much better place than I was before the Tokyo (2020) event.” In the past few years, he often felt unsure about competing in the WSL Championships. Even though he didn’t always want to participate, he ended up going anyway. However, this year his mindset is completely different, for the Olympics he said, “‘No, I’m going, I’m going all in’. I really want to win an Olympic gold medal so I looked at it like that. I was like, ‘What will set me up the best for that?’”

This was special to hear since the injury he faced during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics where his knees buckled has been looming on everyone’s minds. Ahead of Tokyo, in 2019, Florence withdrew from the remaining leg of the WSL meet at Margaret River and the follow-up event at Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth. He said, “Unfortunately, I hurt my left knee on the end section of a wave during my round-16 heat two days ago.” Though he finished that heat, he knew something was off. He was right.

It was the after-effect of the ACL tear he suffered in Brazil in 2019. At the time, a particularly strong wave hit him. The wave caused his knee to buckle and injure him. Though he did make it to the 2020 Olympics, he suffered another injury in May 2021 resulting in surgery on his other knee. He later got surgery where he underwent a full reconstruction of his right ACL, using his hamstring. Subsequently, he began rehab. With the time off, he could qualify for the 2020 Games. Kolohe Andino of California then advanced to the men’s quarterfinals to represent the USA. All are assuming Florence is still feeling the effects of the injury as he prepares for his best performance.

John John Florence: Surfing legend gears up for Olympic glory

This year ahead of the Paris 2024 Games, Florence is one of the favorites to win. John John Florence ranks first in the world and has achieved four top-two finishes this season, including at the Tahiti Pro. This year, he did not have to participate in the Olympic trials and directly made the team given his world ranking and performance in the WSL tour. In Sunday’s heats, John John Florence scored 17.33 points. Soaring ahead of Mexico’s Alan Cleland and Spain’s Andy Criere who scored 14.34 and 12.00 respectively. He will face Australia’s Jack Robinson tomorrow in heat 7.

This year, Florence has dived wholeheartedly into training. It includes regular bodywork with a PT or masseuse. It also involves functional training like hiking, cycling, mountain biking, and downwind foiling. Additionally, the surfer has partnered with Vivobarefoot to build his mobility, strength, and balance from the ground up. He is excited about repping Team USA and spoke about the Teahupo’o venue saying, “I would say it’s one of the most powerful waves in the world. But it’s also one of the most machine-like waves in the world, in the sense that it’s really similar every time when it’s really good.” The Hawaiian native has recently done quite well in the surf break located off the Pacific coast of the French Polynesian island and is determined to uphold a similar standard in performance in the Olympics.