Edited by Bev Mortimer- South African top surfers, Jordy Smith and Matthew McGillivray have qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 through the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT).
Jordy Smith (RSA) during the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro presented by Outerknown. Credit: © WSL / Ryder
Matthew McGillivray (RSA) provisionally qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 through the WSL CT. Credit: © WSL / Dunbar
And South Africa’s lone woman surfer, Sarah Baum, qualified earlier this year at the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2023 World Surfing Games in El Salvador.
A two-time winner of the Corona Open J-Bay in South Africa, Jordy’s recent performance in his home country event has secured the 35 year-old’s spot on Team South Africa. He is currently ranked No. 16 in the world.
Jordy who hails from Druban has since 2007 won six WSL CT events and was the runner-up for the World Title twice. His performance in the 2023 season has seen him take top 10 in six tour events.
Jeffreys Bay’s Matthew McGillivray’s four top 10 finishes during the 2023 CT season secured his provisional qualification on Team South Africa. The 26 year-old is currently ranked 19th in the world.
Matt finished his 2019 season as number four in the Men’s Qualifying Series. Now in his third full season on the Championship Tour, Matt continues to improve each season. During the 2022 CT season, he impressed judges by executing a difficult air-drop, earning him a perfect score of 10 on the iconic wave Teahupo’o. The same wave will be featured in the upcoming Olympic Games.
Sarah Baum, who grew up in Durban, but now lives in Newcastle, Australia, secured her provisional qualification on Team South Africa after being the top-ranked female African surfer at the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games.
The 29 year-old Sarah will make her Olympic debut, following in the footsteps of Bianca Buitendag who won surfing’s first silver medal at Tokyo 2020. She has been securing impressive results on the WSL Qualifying Series and Challenger Series this year in her goal to qualify for the CT.
The Summer Olympic Games will make a debut in Tokyo first and then the competition will be held on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti at the iconic wave of Teahupo’o.
PARIS 2024 QUALIFIED SURFERS
Men
Qualified via WSL CT
Ethan Ewing (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Jack Robinson (AUS)
João Chianca (BRA)
John John Florence (USA)
Jordy Smith (RSA)
Matthew McGillivray (RSA)
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
Qualified via 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
Alan Cleland Jr (MEX)
Billy Stairmand (NZL)
Kauli Vaast (FRA)
Reo Inaba (JPN)
Women
Qualified via WSL CT
Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
Carissa Moore (USA)
Johanne Defay (FRA)
Molly Picklum (AUS)
Tatiana Weston Webb (BRA)
Teresa Bonvalot (POR)
Tyler Wright (AUS)
*1 slot remains
Qualified via 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
Saffi Vette (NZL)
Sarah Baum (RSA)
Shino Matsuda (JPN)
Vahine Fierro (FRA)
