- The young Australian Willow Hardy was involved in a moment of controversy
- Erica Máximo of Portugal participated in the ISA World Junior Titles in El Salvador
- Western Australian teenager victim of poor sportsmanship
Rising Australian surfer Willow Hardy is officially world junior champion after she was nearly kicked off her board and verbally abused in a shocking display of bad sportsmanship.
Hardy was a member of the Australian team that won the International Surfing Association world junior championships in El Salvador on Saturday, taking the overall title for the first time in 11 years.
But before hoisting the trophy with her teammates, Hardy needed a score of 2.40 to advance to the final with less than a minute remaining in the U18 girls’ playoff heat.
In extraordinary scenes, her Portuguese opponent Erica Maximo had a moment of madness, closing in on Hardy, who had priority on the wave, before attempting to push the stunned Australian off her board as the heat came to a dramatic end.
Máximo then yelled insults at Hardy and tried to grab his strap in another attempt to illegally steal his victory.
Rising Australian surfer Willow Hardy (pictured) is officially world junior champion, but her greatest achievement was shrouded in controversy.
Portugal’s Erica Máximo (pictured left) had a crazy moment at the ISA World Junior Titles in El Salvador, approaching Hardy and attempting to push the surprised Australian (right) off her board as the heat reached to a dramatic ending.
Hardy showed composure beyond her years to stand tall and earned a score of 2.70 from the judges to advance in chaotic circumstances.
Later Máximo cried while she posted a humiliating apology on social media – but was disqualified after Australian coach Pete Duncan lodged a successful protest.
“I committed interference on the Australian surfer’s wave in an unsportsmanlike manner,” Máximo said.
‘I just wanted to help my team but I recognize my mistake and I am here to apologize to the Australian surfer, the Australian team and the ISA.
“I wanted to record this video so that my case could be an example for other athletes.”
“While there is a tactical element to competitive surfing, there is no place for unsportsmanlike conduct,” Duncan said. News Corporation.
Hardy is one of Australia’s best emerging talents and received high praise when he excelled against some of the world’s best at the Margaret River Pro when he was just 14 years old.
“We are incredibly proud of the way Willow maintained her composure in what was an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation.”
Hardy is based in Margaret River in Western Australia and received high praise from then-world number one Carissa Moore in 2021 following her series at the Margaret River Pro.
“I didn’t give Willow any advice as she doesn’t need it,” Moore said at the time.
“She’s a shipper; I’ve watched her surf for many years and I’m a big fan.”
Hardy, who was only 14 years old at the time, also competed against former world champion Stephanie Gilmore.
Hardy’s heroics in El Salvador proved crucial, with individual gold medals for Dane Henry (boys under 18) and Ziggy Mackenzie (girls under 16) backed by a silver medal for Fletcher Kelleher (boys under 18) and copper for Milla Brown. (girls under 18 years old).
The Western Australian grommet is widely regarded as one of the country’s emerging surfing talents.
Mackenzie joined elite company, alongside Australian surfing greats Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright, previous winners at junior level.
“I’m very excited,” she said. ‘I feel like all the work I’ve put in and all the support from the Australian team has come together.
“I think everyone was very excited but very nervous at the same time coming into this event…we have such a strong team and we really wanted to push ourselves as hard as we could.”
The team’s performance in La Bocana was so convincing that victory was practically assured before the last day of competition.