Ferreira, Moore crowned in surfing Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020
Brazil's Italo Ferreira and Carissa Moore from the United States became the winners in surfing, a new sport included in the Olympic program at the Tokyo Olympic Games here on Tuesday.
In men's gold medal match, Ferreira got 15.14 points and overcame hosts surfer Kanoa Igarashi, who earned 6.60 points.
Brazil's Italo Ferreira competes during the men's Surfing gold medal final at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Chiba, on July 27, 2021 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
"It's one of the best days of my life for sure," said Ferreira after his victory. "I was so nervous at the beginning but I just tried to surf and have fun because two months ago I was busy with training and thinking and dreaming and now I've got the gold medal."
The third place went to Owen Wright, as the Australian beat Gabriel Medina from Brazil in the bronze medal match.
Moore won the women's final with 14.93 points, bettering South Africa's Bianca Buitendag 8.46 points.
US's Carissa Moore competes during the women's Surfing gold medal final at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Chiba, on July 27, 2021 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
"It's quite heavy (the medal). I'm very proud and honored. 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," explained Moore.
Amuro Tsuzuki of Japan took the bronze after getting past Moore's compatriot Caroline Marks.
Surfing is one of five sports added into the Olympic Games program in Tokyo, along with baseball and softball, karate, skateboarding and sport climbing.
