The Private Sport Shop ambassador is now sure to take part in the competition which will take place on the spot of Teahupoo in Tahiti.
It was a matter of time, and there was little suspense that Johanne Defay would be qualified for the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024. But we had to wait for the official announcement to open the champagne for the Private Sport Shop ambassador. It is now done, she will be there on the spot of Teahupoo to try to climb on the podium and even to go for the best title of her career, at home.
Despite her injury that prevented her from participating in the first events of the World Championship, Johanne was very well positioned to get the qualifying place for these Olympics. The only French representative on the World Tour, she only needed to validate her participation in the Bells Beach event to be officially qualified for the Olympic Games. This was done on the occasion of her return from injury on the World Championship. The International Surfing Association published a press release this Tuesday indicating that Johanne would be in the running for her second Olympics after the one in Tokyo in 2021.
Besides the Frenchwoman, the Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb and the Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy are also qualified for the Olympics as well as the Portuguese Teresa Bonvalot. As for the Australians and Americans (who represent a large part of the best surfers in the world), they will have to fight hard to get the two tickets per nation that will be granted to them.
While waiting to see her in the water at the Margaret River Pro, Johanne Defay is back below in the second episode of his new web-series who is looking back on his ordeal after returning from injury in Bells Beach.