Gabriel Medina

Gabriel Medina is the greatest Brazilian surfer of all time and one of the most technically precise big-wave competitors in WSL history. Born December 22, 1993, in Maresias, Brazil, he was introduced to surfing at eight by his stepfather after his parents' divorce. He became the first Brazilian to win the WSL World Championship in 2014, then repeated in 2018 and 2021. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, his 9.90 single-wave score at Teahupoo stands as the highest wave score in Olympic surfing history, producing the iconic mid-air levitation photograph that went viral worldwide. He won Olympic bronze. After a 2025 pectoral injury sidelined him, Medina was awarded a 2026 WSL Championship Tour Wildcard and declared unfinished business upon his return. With three world titles, Olympic bronze, and a compelling comeback story, the 2026 season is one of surfing's most-watched storylines. A cultural icon in Brazil with millions of social media followers, he has transcended the sport to become a lifestyle brand.