Sofia Mulanovich has taken out the gold medal in the women’s division of the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games.
The 36-year-old surfer defeated Silvana Lima, Bianca Buitendag, and Carissa Moore in an extremely tight final held in Miyazaki, Japan.
The Peruvian secured the second gold medal of her career in the World Surfing Games, an event run by the International Surfing Association (ISA).
“I think I’m in a dream. This isn’t happening. It’s unbelievable to win this event with all the best surfers in the world,” expressed Sofia Mulanovich.
The Peruvian veteran had won her first gold medal in 2004, in Salinas, Ecuador, when she was only 22.
Actually, 2004 was a golden year for Mulanovich. On top of the World Surfing Games title, she added the ASP World Tour trophy.
Past, Present and Future
Sofia still is the only South American female athlete ever to be crowned world surfing champion.
“This means a lot to surfers in Peru. Two Peruvians just won gold medals at the Pan American Games in Lima and winning here adds to that. Surfing is growing fast in Latin America, and Peru is here to stay,” concluded Sofia Mulanovich.
The president of the ISA, Fernando Aguerre, believes that the open women’s final was a “validation of the truly universal competitive landscape” of surfing.
“Sofia had a long career as a professional surfer. Taking gold after 15 years and against this group of stars is incredible for her. I am sure she is going to go to bed thinking about her chances for 2020.”
Meanwhile, four female surfers have provisionally secured spots in Tokyo 2020.
Bianca Buitendag (South Africa), Shino Matsuda (Japan), Ella Williams (New Zealand) and Anat Lelior (Israel) will only confirm their tickets for the Summer Olympics when the 2020 ISA World Surfing Games wrap up in May 2020.
These four surfers will only lose their spots is if two fellow countrywomen of the same gender qualify ahead of them at the upcoming World Surfing Games.
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