U.S. Surfer Carissa Moore Wins The First Gold Medal Ever In Her Sport At The Olympics

https://www.npr.org/sections/tokyo-olympics-live-updates/2021/07/27/ [login to see] /u-s-surfer-carissa-moore-wins-the-first-gold-medal-ever-in-her-sport-at-the-olym
U.S. surfer Carissa Moore is the first woman to ever win a gold medal in her sport at the Olympics.

Surfing made its Olympic debut during three days of competition at Tsurigasaki Beach, in Chiba province, 40 miles from Tokyo. Brazilian Italo Ferreira took gold in the men's event.

Moore grew up surfing with her father off Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. At 18, she became the youngest world champion surfer. Now, at 28, she's the first woman to win the Olympic gold medal in the sport.

She scored more waves on her shortboard than silver medalist Bianca Buitendag from South Africa. Japan's Tsuziki Amuro edged out American surfer Caroline Marks for the bronze.

"I feel super blessed, super fortunate. It's been an incredible experience," Moore said about winning the gold. "It's been a crazy couple of days, a little bit of a rollercoaster of emotions just trying to figure out the break, find my rhythm, learning how to trust myself without my family here." Her family, meanwhile, cheered from Hawaii.

Her win is a platform for surfing "to share some positivity and love, all that kind of stuff" she said, according to Reuters.