Johanne Defay offers a first historic bronze medal to French surfing

The world number six won in Tehaupo’o against Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy in the small final, on the night of Monday to Tuesday.

Surfing’s second appearance at the Olympic Games was a success for the French. Before the final in Kauli Vaast, France won its first bronze medal. during the Olympic tournament. It was Johanne Defay who won in the small final, on the night of Monday August 5 to Tuesday August 6 in Tahiti, facing the Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy, on the famous but no less formidable wave of Teahupo’o.

Johanne Defay owes this 47th French medal to a very good start to the confrontation, with two waves rated at more than 5 (5.83 and 5.57) while her opponent struggled to score (1.5 and 3 on her first waves). The 30-year-old Frenchwoman then surfed a wave rated 6.83, to put Hennessy even further at a distance. With a final score of 12.66 (out of 20, adding the two best waves rated out of 10), she is well ahead of the Costa Rican, who finishes with a very low total of 4.93.

The Reunion Islander set the tone in the third round against her compatriot Vahine Fierro, before beating the reigning Olympic champion, Carissa Moore, “best female surfer in the world at [ses] eyes”, in the quarter-finals. On the last step to reach the final, she found another representative of the United States, Caroline Marks. This time, she did not manage to impose herself, even if the two surfers finished the session with the same score, Marks’ best score (7) was higher than Defay’s (6.50). Not enough to discourage Johanne Defay, who managed her Tahitian meeting perfectly.