2024 Olympics: Koli Wast Olympic Champion! • TNTV Tahiti

History: Vairao surfer Kauli Vaast has just won the Olympic title, the 13th gold medal for the French team.

back Johanna DeFay, Bronze MedalistSo it was the second surfing medal that France won on Monday in Teahupo’o, and it was more than just one: gold, handing the Olympic title to 22-year-old Kauli Vaast.

This is the first time in Olympic history that a Tahitian has won a gold medal. In 2012, Anne-Caroline Graf won the silver medal in the over-67 kg category.

Brazilian surfer Italo Ferreira won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“The Mana has been with me since the beginning. I feel it every day, even if I don’t see it. I did it, Olympic champion! It’s incredible. (…) It’s unique. This victory is for France, for all of Polynesia and for all the people who believed in me. This victory reassures me that I am still one of the best players in Te Hupoo and that I have a place among the best in the world. I am proud to represent France and Tahiti. Now I just want to go home and hug my parents.” The champion spoke in front of the TNTV microphone, and was so moved that he still couldn’t believe it.

With two scores (9.50 and 8.17), Kauli Vaast defeated Jack Robinson of Australia, who won the silver medal: “I am thankful that I have stayed healthy and I am ready for the future, to try to win a world title. (…) I know it will be a great fight. This is his moment”Earlier, Brazilian Gabriel Medina won the bronze medal.

“It’s amazing. All of Polynesia is very proud of this tamari’i Vairao. (…) We are in paradise and we all have smiles on our faces” The country’s president, Moetai Brotherson, was delighted. (…) We obviously think of Vahine and we congratulate Johanne, the bronze medalist. This makes two medals for France today. We are very happy. We think of these four competitors who excited us. We also congratulate all the competitors from all countries. The spirit is beautiful. This is the spirit of surfing. (…) We see that a new generation will follow Kauli and Vahine. A few years, medals! ».

On his social networkthe President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, announced: “The mana of Kauri Waste!” Teahupo’o Wave has been in him since childhood. It was with her, in front of the whole world, that he won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics! Bravo champion and māuruuru Tahiti are proud of this dream environment, the nation”.

“An Olympic medal is magical, of course, it’s a dream. But he (Cowley, ed.) He has his goals and he knows them very well. He wants to qualify for the World Tour, he wants to be able to win the WCT in Teahupo’o. Now he’s going to enjoy this moment because he really deserves it, and then he’s going to go back to work because he’s still young and he’s got a lot of work to do.” Said Jeremy Flores, head coach of the French team. So the next step for us aito: to participate in the CT (World Surf Tour) qualifiers.