Japan’s Reo Inaba had a successful run in the Paris Olympic Games surfing competition in Tahiti, advancing to the quarterfinals. However, his fellow countrymen Kanoa Igarashi and Connor O’Leary were eliminated from the competition.
The surfers faced massive swells at the French Polynesian reef break of Teahupo’o, offering them the chance to score big with deep barrels. Unfortunately, Inaba and his opponent Filipe Toledo struggled to find the right waves to secure high scores.
Despite a modest total of 6.00 points in Round 3, Inaba managed to outscore his Brazilian competitor, who could only muster 2.46 points. On the other hand, Igarashi faced difficulties with scores of 3.67 and 3.37 on his waves, while Gabriel Medina of Brazil dominated with a total of 17.40 points, including an impressive 9.90 score on one wave.
O’Leary seemed to be in a good position during his heat, earning a strong 8.00-point ride on his third wave. However, his Australian opponent Ethan Ewing pulled off a remarkable 8.67-point ride on his fourth attempt, securing a spot in the quarterfinals at the expense of the Japanese surfer.
Looking ahead, Inaba is gearing up to face Peru’s Alonso Correa in the quarterfinal match scheduled for Tuesday. The competition remains fierce as surfers battle it out in the challenging waves of Teahupo’o, showcasing their skills and determination on an international stage.