Surfing is one of the newest sports on the Olympic program, having made its debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021. The sport has already been approved for both Paris 2024 and LA 2028, meaning it will have more time in the spotlight for the rest of the decade at the very least.
Get up to speed below on what to know as surfing prepares to return for its second Olympic Games.
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Which country has won the most Olympic medals in surfing?
Japan won two medals – silver in the men's event and bronze in the women's event – at the last Olympic Games, making it the current leader. No other country won more than one medal.
How many Olympic medals has Team USA won in surfing?
Carissa Moore's gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games is the only medal that the United States has won thus far in surfing.
What happened at Tokyo 2020 in Olympic surfing?
Surfing was added to the Olympic program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, although the Games were delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The contest was held at Tsurigasaki Beach, about 60 miles east of Tokyo.
Brazil's Italo Ferreira won gold in the men's event despite snapping his board early on during the final heat against Japan's Kanoa Igarashi. American John John Florence, a two-time world champion and strong medal hopeful, was still recovering from a knee injury at the time and was eliminated in the Round of 16 by compatriot Kolohe Andino. Andino then lost in the quarterfinals to Igarashi.
SEE MORE: Italo Ferreira snaps surfboard in gold medal match
The U.S. was able to get an Olympic medal, however, thanks to Carissa Moore. Moore, a four-time world champion at the time, defeated South Africa's Bianca Buitendag in the women's final to win gold. Amuro Tsuzuki beat Moore's teammate, 19-year-old Caroline Marks, in the bronze-medal heat to give Japan its second surfing medal at its home Olympics.
Men's Surfing
🥇: Italo Ferreira (BRA)
🥈: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
🥉: Owen Wright (AUS)
Women's Surfing
🥇: Carissa Moore (USA)
🥈: Bianca Buitendag (RSA)
🥉: Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN)
SEE MORE: U.S. surfing star Carissa Moore wins first Olympic title