Australian Jack Robinson has revealed he nearly drowned in dangerous conditions as he sent world number one John John Florence home from the Olympic surfing competition with a shock victory.
Amid deteriorating conditions that forced the women’s qualifiers to be suspended on Tuesday (AEST), Ethan Ewing also advanced, setting the stage for an all-Australian quarter-final.
A storm system south of French Polynesia, where surfing will be held during this year’s Olympics, created terrifying action at Teahupo’o.
The madness elevated the highly successful Robinson-Florence series between the number one and three ranked surfers in the World Surf League.
In noticeably bigger swells than in previous days, neither was able to put a significant score on the board in the first half of their 30-minute heat.
While chasing a wave, Robinson and Florence disappeared into the water and had to be rescued by jet skis within seconds of each other.
Returning to battle after being towed across the lagoon and back beyond the waves of the Pacific Ocean, Robinson was better recovered.
The 26-year-old held his own after playing the reef, diving into a tube to score 7.17 in a decisive run.
Jack Robinson qualified for the quarter-finals in incredibly dangerous conditions
Robinson said he nearly drowned during the competition in Teahupo’o, French Polynesia.
A second score put the West Australian beyond the reach of Florence, a two-time world champion, and she eventually won in 13.94 to the Hawaiian’s 9.07.
“I got dragged down to the bottom and almost got caught in two waves,” Robinson said.
“I couldn’t breathe much. I didn’t have much time. I was reminded of so many guys who have had so many terrible falls here.
“I’ve had some pretty bad crashes, but in a competition it’s different. You have a lot more adrenaline and there’s a lot more at stake.
‘Rowing back was a test of both physicality and spirit.’
Robinson highlighted how dangerous his sport can be.
“All other sports are played on a court or in a stadium,” he said.
Robinson says he was swept under and almost “caught with two waves”
‘We are in an ocean. It is the largest and most powerful source of life we have on this planet.
“The waves are so powerful. It’s unlike any other sport. You might get an avalanche on your head on a mountain. It might be something similar. It’s very dangerous and very crazy.”
Florence said he was baffled by the draw that allowed two of the world’s three best in-form surfers to face each other so early in the tournament.
“It’s a shame to face Jack so soon. One of us had to win and the other had to lose. It’s tough,” he said.
The result was a repeat of Robinson’s victory in the Margaret River Pro final in April.
Shortly after Robinson’s progression, Ewing joined him in the last eight by defeating Australian-born Connor O’Leary, representing Japan.
Their heat looked like a battle to survive in the barrels, with both men taking all kinds of falls, including one that sent shivers down O’Leary’s face.
“I had a few crashes, but I’m happy it was worth it… I’ve got a lot of water on my head right now. It feels good to be back on the ground,” Ewing said.
Wave selection was paramount and Ewing did best, scoring 8.67 with a deep run to defeat O’Leary 14.17 to 11.00.
The Australian quarter-final means neither man can win a medal in surfing, but at least one will play in the last four.
“It’s going to be great,” Ewing said of the matchup.
“He (Robinson) is definitely pushing the boundaries and he’s one of the best guys out there, and that’s where I want to be. So it’ll be exciting, for sure.”
The West Australian has now set up an all-Australian quarter-final with Ethan Wing.
Previously, João Chianca triumphed in one of the best heats of the two Olympics in the history of this sport, defeating Morocco’s Ramzi Boukhiam by 18.10 to 17.80.
Chianca’s reward is an all-Brazilian quarter-final match with Gabriel Medina.
Three quarter-finals will be contested between his compatriots, including Tahitian Kauli Vaast, representing France, and Joan Duru.
In the final quarterfinal, Peru’s Alonso Correa will face Brazil’s Reo Inaba, who advanced with a score of just 6.00.
With the women’s third round postponed and worsening conditions forecast for Wednesday (AEST), it seems certain that surfing will move to reserve days.