Why surfing great Sally Fitzgibbons has missed out on the Paris Olympics despite making history by winning her fourth world title
- Won her fourth ISA world title at the age of 33
- She says the title is her best, despite heartbreak at the Olympics
- Won by eight heats to take the crown in Puerto Rico
Sally Fitzgibbons has won her fourth International Surfing Association world title, becoming 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, battling her way through eight heats to add to her gold medal haul from 2008, 2018 and 2021.
But for Fitzgibbons to compete in her second Olympic Games at the Paris Games, the Australian women had to win the team competition.
That would have created a third quota spot, with Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright already having qualified for the Games through the 2023 World Surf League rankings.
Current No. 1 Picklum and two-time world champion Wright were eliminated in the rematch in Puerto Rico after losing in the fourth round and third round of the main draw, respectively.
The third Olympic spot went to Brazil, after Tatiana Weston-Webb finished second behind Fitzgibbons in the final.
Sally Fitzgibbons celebrates winning the gold medal at the ISA World Surfing Games final
Despite winning her fourth world title, Fitzgibbon missed out on a spot at the Paris Olympics due to a technical problem
Her second place earned 860 points, moving Brazil into first place with 1,755 points. Australia finished second with 1720.
Had Weston-Webb finished third in the final, she would have collected only 730 points and Australia would have won the team event – and with it an extra Olympic place.
France’s Johanne Defay came third and Spain’s Nadia Erostarbe fourth – with all surfers in the final except Fitzgibbons going to Teahupo’o in Tahiti, where the Olympic competition will be held.
An emotional Fitzgibbons was swarmed by her teammates after leaving the water and was in tears during the post-final interview, although she did not appear to know her Olympic fate at the time.
She said her fourth title was the best of them all.
“Definitely, just being out there with the crew I’ve surfed with for the last few years of my career and going toe-to-toe all day and dropping scores,” she said.
“I just had to keep that belief and confidence in surfing, and just try to move in that direction, at the right time at the right time, and oh, I feel great.
“I’m just so proud to be Australian.”
Fitzgibbons would have been heading to Paris for the Games had Australia finished one place higher in the team rankings
Despite failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Fitzgibbon (pictured in Puerto Rico) said her latest win was the sweetest of them all
Brazilian Gabriel Medina won the men’s event, beating team France by 41 points for the extra Olympic quota spot, meaning his country will be the only country to have a maximum contingent of six surfers at the Games.
The three-time world champion defeated Morocco’s 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 dropped out in the repechage after losing his heat in round six – the best performer.
More than a dozen other surfers qualified for the Olympics through the event, which included competitors from 55 countries.
Among them was 14-year-old Yang Siqi, who became the first Chinese surfer to qualify for the Olympics and will be the youngest among the women.