- He won his fourth ISA world title at the age of 33.
- He says the title is his sweetest despite the anguish over the Olympic Games
- He won eight heats to take the crown in Puerto Rico
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Sally Fitzgibbons won her fourth International Surfing Association world title to become the most successful surfer in the competition’s history, but suffered the heartbreak of missing out on an Olympic berth.
The 33-year-old won a thrilling final at the event in Puerto Rico, working her way through eight heats to add gold medals to her gold medal wins from 2008, 2018 and 2021.
But for Fitzgibbons to compete in her second Olympics at the Paris Games, Australia’s women needed to win the team competition.
That would have secured a third place finish, with Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright already qualified for the Games through to the 2023 World Surf League rankings.
Current No. 1 Picklum and two-time world champion Wright were eliminated in the playoff in Puerto Rico after losing in the fourth and third rounds respectively of the main draw.
The third Olympic place went to Brazil, after Tatiana Weston-Webb finished second in the final behind Fitzgibbons.
Sally Fitzgibbons celebrates winning the gold medal at the ISA World Surfing Games final
Despite winning his fourth world title, Fitzgibbon missed out on a place at the Paris Olympics due to a technicality.
Their second place totaled 860 points, moving Brazil into first place with 1,755 points. Australia finished second with 1,720.
If Weston-Webb had finished third in the final, she would have only accumulated 730 points and Australia would have won the team event and, with it, an additional Olympic berth.
The Frenchwoman Johanne Defay was third and the Spanish Nadia Erostarbe fourth; All the surfers in the final, except Fitzgibbons, headed to Teahupo’o in Tahiti, where the Olympic competition will be held.
An emotional Fitzgibbons was overwhelmed by her teammates after emerging from the water and was crying during the post-final interview, although she did not appear to know her Olympic destiny at the time.
He said his fourth title was the sweetest of all.
“Of course, just being there with the team that I’ve surfed with for the last few years of my career and being face to face and lowering scores all day,” he said.
“I just had to keep that belief and confidence in surfing, and just try to get to that level at the right time and, oh, I feel amazing.”
“I’m very proud to be Australian.”
Fitzgibbons would be on her way to Paris for the Games if Australia had finished one place higher in the team standings.
Despite not qualifying for the Paris Olympics, Fitzgibbon (pictured competing in Puerto Rico) said her latest victory was the sweetest of all.
Brazilian Gabriel Medina won the men’s event to edge out Team France by 41 points for the additional Olympic berth, meaning his nation will be the only one to have a maximum contingent of six surfers at the Games.
The three-time world champion defeated the Moroccan Ramzi Boukhiam in the final, followed by the French Kauli Vaast and Joan Duru.
The Australian men’s team finished fifth overall, with Ethan Ewing, who retired in the play-off after losing his round six heat, the best player.
More than a dozen surfers qualified for the Olympics through the event, which featured competitors from 55 nations.
Among them was 14-year-old Yang Siqi, who became the first Chinese surfer to qualify for the Olympics and will be the youngest in the women’s category.