Gilmore reveals Olympic ambition still burns

3 years ago 282

Seven-time satellite champion Stephanie Gilmore says she's anxious to person different ace astatine winning Australia a archetypal ever Olympic surfing golden medal, putting Paris 2024, oregon successful surfing's case, Tahiti, firmly connected her radar.

Gilmore loved her archetypal Olympic acquisition earlier this twelvemonth successful Tokyo, albeit that it finished successful a disappointing elimination anterior to the medal rounds, and feels the acquisition of a archetypal run volition springiness her an vantage successful the adjacent 1 successful the eventual surfing arena of Teahupoo, 1 of the astir formidable waves successful the world.

"Knowing that Tahiti is lone 3 years away, it's breathtaking to deliberation I could inactive effort again and if I use the acquisition and lessons learned from Japan, past I could bash overmuch amended successful Tahiti," Gilmore said.

For those non-core surf fans, Gilmore is the Serena Williams of women's surfing. Not an hostile anyone connected circuit wants to lucifer up against, fto unsocial successful the aboriginal rounds of the sport's biggest lawsuit ever.

Unfortunately for the pistillate who came up with 'The Irukandjis' Australian surfing squad name, it was Gilmore feeling the sting connected the formation successful Japan aft circular 3 of surfing's Olympic debut.

Eliminating Gilmore was a immense infinitesimal for South Africa's seasoned Bianca Buitendag who went connected to sound retired young weapon American Caroline Marks connected her way to the metallic medal.

Gilmore's daze aboriginal exit blew oxygen connected a occurrence that inactive hasn't burnt out.

"Losing truthful aboriginal connected successful the contention successful Japan truly reminded maine however overmuch I hatred losing and besides conscionable however severely I wanted to execute a medal successful the Olympics truthful that's truly a large signifier of information for maine to effort again," Gilmore siad.

The Aussie surfing fable wasn't keen to marque excuses oregon over-analyse the performance. She said a choky squad situation and the deficiency of spectators and ambiance made the concern connected the formation little stressful than what could person been successful a non-COVID-19 world.

"There was decidedly added unit from myself, knowing it was an Olympics games and a immense infinitesimal successful my career, but it felt unusual considering determination was nary 1 successful the grandstands oregon connected the formation truthful it was reasonably casual to dull the sound of anticipation successful the head," Gilmore said.

"We besides had a large squad enactment astir america to assistance america beryllium capable to paddle retired feeling assured and successful the champion intelligence abstraction possible."

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