Breaching Whale Steals the Show During Paris Olympics Surfing Semifinal in Tahiti

Mar. 15, 2025

Whale breach during the Paris Olympic women’s surfing semifinals in Tahiti.Photo:JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty

JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty

On Aug. 5, while Brazilian athlete Tatiana Weston-Webb and Costa Rican athlete Brisa Hennessy competed in a women’s semifinal surfing match at the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti, a whale breached in the distance, providing a perfect photo opportunity.

The French Polynesian island, located around 10,000 miles from the French capital city, was chosen for its legendary Teahupo’o wave, per CBS andBBC Sport.

Frenchman Kauli Vaast, born on the island, won gold in the men’s Olympic surfing competition. Team USA star Caroline Marks scored gold in the women’s competition on Aug. 6, beating Brazil’s Weston-Webb, 28, who finished in second place.

Aphoto of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina appearing to float mid-airwent viral on July 29 after photographerJerome Brouilletfrom Agence France-Presse captured the moment.

In the picture, Medina, 30, placed his hand in the air and pointed his finger to the sky as his surfboard hovered behind him, still attached to his ankle.

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Gabriel Medina.JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty Images

JEROME BROUILLET/AFP via Getty Images

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Medina, who scored a record-making 9.90 during the third round of the surfing contest, finished in the bronze medal position behind Vaast, 22, and Jack Robinson of Australia.

The photo has garnerednearly 9 million likes on Medina’s Instagram alone. Photographer Brouillet shared on hisInstagramthat “Gabriel was in the water at the right place, at the right time, and so was I,” and his phone still “hasn’t stopped beeping.”

source: people.com