Gabriel Medina is suspended God-like, bolt upright, three feet above the water, an index finger raised in glory. There is no other sign of life, or movement, just bilious clouds in the background, a rough-hewn ocean line below his feet and Gabe, centre of the world, still, but moving. His board trails six feet behind, but still in sync, shadowing its pilot. It’s an image that will become one of the iconic frames of the 2024 Olympics.
Surfers around the world, even Australian ones, felt proud. This is what we do. This is how we do it. The sport is different. Remarkable. Unique. And, well, so is Gabriel Medina. The question is, why has it taken the non-Brazilian surfing world about 15 years to come to that conclusion? Has he…
