TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Tuesday, August 15, 2023) - Jordy Smith (RSA) has qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 via his strong showing on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). Though this marks his second Olympic qualification, he will make his Olympic debut in 2024 after an injury prevented him from competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.
A two-time winner of the Corona Open J-Bay in South Africa, Smith's recent performance in his home country event has secured the 35-year-old's spot on Team South Africa. He is currently ranked No. 16 in the world.
In his 15th season on the WSL CT, Smith continues over a decade of top-tier performances. The Durban, South Africa born competitor began his road to the Olympics after winning the 2006 WSL World Junior Championship, which he followed up with the 2007 World Qualifying Series Champion title to qualify for the Championship Tour. Since then, Smith has won six WSL CT events and was the runner-up for the World Title twice. His performance in the 2023 season has seen him take top ten in six tour events.
Surfing will return to the Olympic Games after making its 2020 Olympic debut in Tokyo. The 2024 Olympics will be held on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti at Teahupo'o, the iconic wave known for massive barrels, heavy drops, and a shallow reef. This will be familiar to the WSL surfers as it is the featured stop on the WSL CT and the next stop on the 2023 CT season.
The WSL CT, the highest level of competitive surfing that crowns the World Champions, is surfing's tier-one qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games. WSL will provisionally qualify the first ten men and eight women for Paris 2024. Learn more about Surfing's Olympic Qualification process.
Watch other qualification hopefuls at the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro from August 11 - 20, 2023. Once called on, the competitions will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL's YouTube Channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL's broadcast partners here.