Surfing has arrived at the doorstep of the Olympic Games, set to make its debut appearance at Tokyo 2020.
Here are the 10 things you need to know about this historic moment for the sport.
1. Duke’s dream
Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer and the father of modern surfing, first dreamt of surfing’s inclusion more than a century ago.
At the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Duke expressed his wish for his beloved sport of surfing to be included in the Games. Recent revelations have even suggested that Duke may have put on a surfing display for the spectators in Stockholm.
After a 20+ year campaign led by ISA President Fernando Aguerre, in 2016 the IOC approved the inclusion of Surfing in the Olympic Games. Duke’s dream was fulfilled.