“Happiness I Saw”: Ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics, Popular Japanese Surfing Star Recalls a Rare Feat Back in 2020

The Japanese surfing star Kanoa Igarashi has achieved international acclaim. Igarashi has been a WSL surfer since 2012; he has yet to win a world championship but is well-known for his fierce competitiveness. The surfer had a slow start to the WSL season but has become a formidable opponent as of late. One of Igarashi’s fondest memories is participating in the Olympics in 2020.

After the Corona Open J-Bay, WSL spoke with Kanoa Igarashi. In the ensuing interview, the Japanese surfer reflected on his Olympic experience as a golden moment for himself and his family.

A moment to cherish

In the year 2020, Kanoa Igarashi represented Japan in the Olympic surfing competition. Hiroto Ohhara and Igarashi both competed for Japan, with Ohhara failing to place but Igarashi bringing home silver and bringing great prestige to Japanese surfing. For the surfer, just qualifying for the Olympics was a monumental achievement with which he was justifiably pleased. In the interview with WSL, Igarashi recalled the moment, saying, “The happiness I saw in my parents’ face and my brother’s face and my friends around me.”

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Igarashi said, “Those are all moments and experiences that I would cherish for the rest of my life.” His acceptance of the Olympics was a major accomplishment, and he is thankful for all he has been given in life. The surfer has already qualified for the 2024 Olympics surfing division in Tahiti, so all eyes are on him to get a medal.

While the Japanese surfer has given his fans much to cheer about during his career, one of his most memorable performances occurred during the 2019 WSL season.

Electrifying surfing performance

Corona Bali Protected concluded on May 25, 2019. Igarashi faced off against French surfer Jeremy Flores in the WSL event finals. Igarashi was a formidable surf Samurai, having eliminated Kelly Slater from the Corona Bali Pro in the semifinals. However, the French surfer was not one to give up.

However, the Japanese surfer got off to a great start, posting a 9.10 in the second wave. On the fifth wave, a few waves later, the Japanese surfer got a 6.00. The French surfer got his first point, an 8.93, on the fifth wave of the heat. Flores didn’t give up hope of winning until the very end, even though he could only manage a 5.70 score. With a final score of 15.10, the Japanese surfer won the WSL competition.

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