Huntington Beach native Kanoa Igarashi has secured his provisional spot in the LA28 Olympics, among the first crop of surfers to nab their qualification into the international event that will be held at Lower Trestles south of San Clemente.
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Igarashi, who surfs for Japan, would be competing in his third Olympics. He has a silver medal from the 2021 Tokyo Games, when surfing made its Olympic debut.
Along with fellow Japanese surfer Mirai Ikeda, Igarashi earned his spot by winning gold at the Asian Games this week, where surfing was included for the first time.
The event this week was held at Pacific Long Beach in Tahara, Japan. Igarashi lost to Connor O’Leary, also of Japan, in the early non-elimination round, but then pulled out a narrow victory against O’Leary in the third round.
Igarashi, 28, surfed an excellent 18.33 two-wave heat in the semifinals, which featured the event’s only perfect 10.
In the finals, he went up against Indonesia’s I Made Pajar Ariyana, who ultimately walked away with the silver medal.
The Asian Games were held on the heels of a World Surf League’s World Tour event at the same location, where Igarashi took home runner-up to Brazil’s Miguel Pupo.
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Igarashi said he was “speechless,” calling this a special moment in his career.
“The Asian Games is such a big event, to be able to add one more medal to the tally for Japan is so special. Winning a gold for the team, and going into this next chapter, this next mission as a surfer, this was a huge step forward in that direction,” he said in a statement. “Being confirmed for three Olympics back to back is a really special feeling. Each one has its own weight, its own meaning, and each time I’ve qualified, I’ll never forget that day, and this will be another one I never forget.”
He said of all the Olympics, the upcoming one is the one he wanted to be a part of the most.
“I know the wave at Trestles so well, I’ve had such great success there the last couple of years, and it’s a wave I grew up surfing,” Igarashi said. “I’d built up more pressure around this one than the others, but there’s a huge weight off my shoulders now. There’s one mission to focus on.”
For Ikeda, 18, it will be her first time at the Olympics.
“It’s the best moment of my life,” Ikeda said. “But I want to get the Olympic Games gold medal. I’m going to practice a lot, a lot, a lot.”
International Surfing Association President Fernando Aguerre, largely credited as the driving force behind the sport being included in the Olympics, called it a historic day for surfing and the Olympic movement. The ISA is the governing body for surfing in the Olympics.
“To see the first two athletes qualify for the LA28 Olympic Games, right here in surfing’s Asian Games debut, is a truly beautiful moment. The road to Los Angeles has officially begun,” Aguerre said. “As we enter surfing’s third Olympic cycle, moments like these remind us of the incredible journey our sport continues to take. We are so excited for what lies ahead.”
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